The Female Gamer
by Loeka
Summary: If you'd asked me about my expectations for the future before yesterday, I'd have answered that I'm going to end up a mindless office-drone by day, a shut-in gamer by night. Now, I'm fairly convinced that I'm going to end up in an asylum instead. (Or, what if Jee-han was born a girl?)
1. Chapter 1

I love videogames. Given the option, I play for days at a time, weeks even. I'm a nerd and not ashamed to admit it.

Naturally, this means my social life is lacking. Or rather, I don't have one.

My lack of social life is a deliberate choice. I don't like interacting with people. In a game I examine every dialogue option, but when it comes to real life, I often don't know what to say. Primarily because most of the time I genuinely don't care about the subject of conversation. I know that's not just rude, it's unhealthy. It works for me though, so I can't bring myself to really care about the unhealthiness of it.

Honestly, if you'd asked me about my expectations for the future before yesterday, I'd have answered that I'm going to end up a mindless office-drone by day, a shut-in gamer by night. I'd also occasionally get dragged out into the real world by my best friend against my fierce protestations.

It's not a bad future, if an unambitious one. I was looking forward to it.

Except now I'm fairly convinced that I'm going to end up in an asylum instead. Why?

Yesterday I woke up to a notification.

| You have slept in a bed!  
| Your HP and MP have been completely restored.  
| All status effects have been removed.

That was what I saw the moment I opened my eyes. A blue screen with black text, floating in front of my eyes and blinking out of existence the moment I finished reading it. Crazy? I thought so too. Well, no, I didn't think it was crazy. I just thought I was still dreaming and only finished waking up after it disappeared. So I shrugged it off and started my day.

That's when things became weird.

Throughout the day, every person I encountered had text floating above their heads, containing a title, a level, and their full name, and I seemed to be the only one able to see it. I have text floating above my head as well, and currently I'm idly gazing at the reflected words in the window beside me.

Who am I?

| The Gamer  
| LV4 Han Jee-han

I'm aware that my name is a boy's name. It's the result of a series of improbable events leading up to my birth, ending with me, a girl, getting a boy's name.

So yes, I'm an eighteen year old girl in my second year of high school, and I have a boy's name. I also see text floating above people's heads and posses the title of The Gamer. What does this mean?

No idea.

If I have to take a guess, I'd say I'm a videogame character. Except this is real life so that's impossible. It is.

Doesn't stop me from getting quests.

| Quest: Get To School In Time!

| Quest: Complete The Assigned Homework!

| Quest: Take Out The Trash!

Things I've been doing since forever and suddenly they're popping up as quests. They show not just completely unnecessary descriptions and time limits, but potential rewards and punishments as well.

The rewards and punishments are just as useless as the general descriptions. I don't need a pop-up to know that Mom will be pleased if I take out the trash and pissed if I don't.

What is new, is that I now get exp when I complete these quests. Which led to me gaining a level this morning.

Honestly, yesterday I spent the entire day convinced that I was still dreaming. I went to sleep with the expectation of waking up for real the next morning.

I woke up to another notification instead.

| You have slept in a bed!  
| Your HP and MP have been completely restored.  
| All status effects have been removed.

So on this second day of being The Gamer, I'm very tentatively entertaining the possibility that this might be real. Or that I've gone crazy, but I like that alternative a lot less. Even if it is the most likely explanation.

I'm kind of disturbed by how little I'm freaking out about this. Shouldn't the possibility of me hallucinating be more scary? Then again, I'm still half convinced that this is all a dream.

Dream or not, I'm planning to get to the bottom of this after school. My games will just have to wait until I've figured this out. I didn't play yesterday either, because the notion of playing a videogame when I might be in one myself is... odd. Very odd.

I'm already starting to feel withdrawal symptoms. My hands itch for a controller.

"You're going to get wrinkles." The voice startles me, making me snap my head around to face the source. I see my best friend smiling down at me while casually leaning against my desk.

| Chunbumoon's Heir  
| LV25 Shin Sun-il

I cross my arms with a scowl. This green haired guy with his sunny smile and cheerfully insulting attitude has been my best friend since practically forever. And he's keeping secrets from me. Big ones. How do I know this?

Every person I've encountered, classmates, teachers, and random people of all ages on the streets, have a level somewhere between one at least and ten at the most. Except for Teacher Do, who is level fifteen, but Teacher Do can't be considered normal in anyway, so his unusual level isn't surprising. Or rather, it makes sense that he's the exception to the rule.

Yet even Teacher Do's level doesn't reacher higher than fifteen. Sun-il, on the other hand, is level twenty-five. I know for certain that it isn't because he's a kickass martial artist, either. Even ignoring Teacher Do, there are others in our school who practice fighting, both formal and not. Sure, none are at Sun-il's level, not by a long shot, but some of them are still really good. They're also level eight at most.

Not to mention that Sun-il's title is Chunbumoon's Heir instead of something like Studious Son, Rebel With A Cause, Anxious Mother, or any of the other kind of titles I've seen. I've never heard Sun-il mention this Chunbumoon thing either.

My reaction makes Sun-il's smile disappear, a puzzled look appearing instead. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, great, wonderful even," I snap. My best friend is keeping secrets from me. I have a right to be upset.

I ignore the part of me that points out I haven't told him about my own... condition. That's different.

Both Sun-il's brows shoot up and he opens his eyes fully, something uncommon for mister I-like-to-keep-people-guessing-whether-I'm-insulting-them-or-not.

"The scowl on your face says different," he says, worried and offering to help me with whatever I need.

It makes me realize that I'm acting childish. So what if Sun-il has secrets, he must have his reasons. As his best friend, it's my duty to respect that.

Also, I might be hallucinating all this, in which case Sun-il isn't actually keeping secrets from me.

I sigh and bring up a hand to rub my eyes. "Sorry, I'm..." I trail off, not really knowing how to finish that. I'm stressed? Confused? Half convinced that I'm still dreaming? Worried that I might've gone insane?

Sun-il grows more concerned and leans forward to place a hand on my forehead. Why is he– oh, he's checking to see if I have a fever.

I push his hand off with a smile. "I'm not sick, I'm just feeling... off." There, I told him the truth.

"Off? In what way?" Sun-il asks, worry not lessened in any way. I shrug and do my best to make it look casual.

"Just... off," I finish lamely, a clear signal that I don't want to talk about this, because I really don't. Not yet. Not even to him.

Sun-il, getting the message, looks at me with worry a moment longer, before he regains his usual sunny smile. The one that always leaves people wondering if he's mocking them or not.

The guessing stops the moment he opens his mouth. "Jee-han... is it that time of the month?"

I kick the asshole's leg, hard. The resulting ache to my toes is completely worth it.

Sun-il winces, but his smile turns into a grin, pleased that I'm reacting like normal. "So violent. That's no way for a lady to act," he mocks.

"Bite me," I retort, even as I can't help but smile. Sun-il, of course, wags his brow suggestively in return.

"Kinky," he quips. I roll my eyes but feel my smile grow. Secrets or not, this is still my best friend.

"Everyone, shut up and sit down!" Teacher Park's yell brings an end to our conversation. Sun-il chuckles, gives me a lazy salute, and walks towards his seat. I turn my attention to our math teacher. And startle as I read his text.

| Failed Accountant  
| LV6 Park Sin-uoo

I mostly manage to mask the laugh that escapes as a cough and duck my head to hide the grin I can't contain. That title explains why Teacher Park is always in such an awful mood.

"Class president, what exercises were assigned?" Teacher Park demands with his ever sour expression.

"The exercises on page two hundred thirteen, Teacher Park," Yoo-jin answers. Everyone obediently opens their books.

So class begins.

* * *

Aside from the text floating above everyone's head and the occasional quest popping up, the day continues like normal. After school, I say goodbye to Sun-il, go home, change out of my uniform, and finish my homework. Now, instead of playing a game like I normally would, I'm seated in my chair and staring up at the ceiling of my room.

I am apparently The Gamer. What does that mean?

Still no idea.

Well, that's helpful.

I sigh. I need to think about this logically. What's happening to me seems to imply that I am, somehow, in a videogame. So if this was a new game I just bought, what would I be doing first?

Checking out the options menu.

Except unlike a real game, I don't have a controller. How am I supposed to open the options menu? Is there even an options menu?

I contemplate this for a moment, before I shrug. I won't know for sure until I try.

Bringing up my hand as though I'm holding an imaginary controller, I pretend to open a menu.

Nothing. Should've guessed it wouldn't be that easy. But is the failure caused by a lack of menu, or because of the way I'm trying to open it? Did I click the wrong imaginary button?

I decide to try opening the potential menu by pushing every imaginary button.

Still nothing.

Maybe I should try opening it in a different way? Like... how about voice activation?

"Open the options menu," I say. And almost jump out of my chair as a window pops up in front of me. I stare.

No frigging way. Yes, I'd been trying to open an options menu, but...

But I just opened an options menu. In real life.

The menu is divided into three categories. Gameplay, Video and Sound. I slowly look over the Gameplay options, the tab the menu opened to.

| Gameplay:  
| – Auto-Notification: On  
| – Auto-Targeting: On  
| – Auto-Dungeon Entry: On  
| – Auto-Mini Map: Off

I stare some more. This is... this is just bizarre.

After another moment of staring, I lift a hand to tap on the first option. A smaller window pops up in front of the main one.

| Auto-Notification  
| A brief announcement will appear when The Gamer performs a relevant action or when a relevant action happens to The Gamer.  
| Disable: Yes/No

Given that I have no idea what's going on, I figure it's best to keep it on. I tap No. The smaller window disappears.

Leaning back in my chair, I slowly process this impossible situation. Is this really happening?

Apparently it is.

I decide to read the descriptions of the other options. They're basically what their names imply. I keep Auto-Targeting on, but after a moment of deliberation, I turn off the Auto-Dungeon Entry. Sure, part of me is still convinced that this is all a dream, but if it isn't, I don't want to stumble into dungeons without being notified about it. Especially because the description said that enemies can be found there. Which is just... enemies?

Of course, in most games there's always a variety of things to kill. This is real life, though. What would even count as an enemy?

Seeing as I can't exactly answer that just by thinking about it, I continue my exploration and turn on the Auto-Mini Map.

A small circular map appears in the upper right corner of my vision. Even though I was half expecting it, it still startles me into snapping my head towards it. Or rather, I try to. As soon as I move my head, the map moves with me so that it keeps hovering in the upper right corner of my vision. Just like in a game.

I'm looking at a mini map. With a small green arrow in the center indicating what I'm assuming is my position.

Slowly, I get up and walk towards my window. Both the options menu and the mini map follow me, the mini map's environment changing as I move.

I turn in a full circle. The green arrow spins around.

So bizarre.

I return to my chair and give the mini map hovering at the edge of my vision another long look, before opening the next tab on the options menu.

| Video  
| – Brightness: 50%  
| – Color: 50%

My confusion starts to make way for curiosity. What would happen if I change the brightness? I can guess, obviously, but...

But will it actually work?

Only one way to find out.

Clicking on Brightness offers a sliding scale, and in one quick movement, I slide it to the maximum level. And immediately squeeze my eyes shut with a startled yelp, blinded by sudden light. Squinting through one eye, I spot the menu and quickly reduce the brightness until I can open both eyes. Everything is still too bright, but it's no longer impossible to see.

Brightness. It does exactly as advertised.

Even more curious than before, I lower the brightness further than normal, making everything darken. Aside from the menu and mini map, those remain the same. Well, they seem to be becoming brighter, but that's because everything else is becoming darker and darker as I keep lowering the brightness. It's like I turned off the light and then some.

When I reach zero, I'm surrounded by complete darkness. I spin my chair around, watching the darkness around me with wide eyes. This is...

This is _amazing_.

With a grin, I return the brightness back to normal and turn turn my attention to the color option. Sure enough, raising it makes all colors become more and more intense. At maximum, it forces me to squint in order to keep seeing. I don't stop grinning.

My walls are a blinding yellow, my bedsheets are an impossible red, and the night sky out the window looks like something straight out of a kid's show.

This is so cool!

I lower the color to zero and laugh with delight as everything aside from the menu and map turns black-and-white. I lift my hand to stare at my now light grey skin with fascination, before returning the color to normal. I open the Sound tab, excited to see what else I can do.

| Sound  
| – Ambient Noise: 50%

It might only be one option, but it sounds like a good one.

Heh. Sounds like.

With a grin, I max it out. And immediately I cover my ears with a pained wince as I'm bombarded with noise. I have no clue what it is I'm hearing but it's all so loud!

Determined to figure out just what it is I'm hearing, I slowly lower my hands and do my best to concentrate on one sound. The easiest one to focus on is a persistent buzzing all around me.

No, it isn't coming from all around me. It's coming from... above me?

I lift my head, wondering what could be causing this. A mosquito? This really doesn't sound like a mosquito to be honest, but what else could it be? I'm not seeing anything other than my lamp–

Am I... am I hearing the lightbulb itself? As in, the electricity running through it?

Cool!

What else am I hearing?

I close my eyes in order to better concentrate. After a few moments, I finally manage to focus on a muted... sizzling?

It's a vaguely familiar sound, though I can't quite place it. Where do I know this from? And where is it coming from?

...It's coming from downstairs. What could–

My jaw drops.

I'm hearing Mom cook. Specifically, she's stir frying something. And I'm able to hear it from inside my room. With a closed door and an entire floor between us.

I start laughing with delight but immediately cut myself off, surprised. My voice didn't sound louder than usual, making it sound incredibly odd in comparison to all the other things I'm hearing. Why isn't my voice– _ambient_ noise. Of course.

With a grin, I turn the ambient noise to zero.

Complete and utter silence. The only thing I'm still hearing is my own breathing and the pounding of my heart, the sounds abnormally loud because of the lack of any other.

This is awesome!

Ridiculously pleased, I return the ambient noise to normal. Alright, I've checked out all the options and they're amazing. What next? Aside from closing the options menu. And maybe turning off the mini map? It's kind of distracting.

I turn off the mini map. Now I just need to close the options menu. I'm guessing that's voice activated as well.

"Close the options menu." Sure enough, the menu pops out of existence as though it was never there.

For some reason that makes what I've just done truly sink in. Makes me realize that this is really real.

My life has been turned into a videogame.

I get up to start pacing. What does this mean? What does this mean for me? How is this possible? This shouldn't be possible!

Of course, I could still be hallucinating all this, but I'm going to ignore that option for as long as I can. Which means this has to be real. Except that's impossible. Except apparently it isn't, because the only other option is that I've gone insane.

Alright then. In that case, what should I do next? What would I do in a game?

Check out my character.

Can I even do that? What would I have to say in order to make the screen appear? If there even is a screen.

Well, best to start with the basics.

"Open the... status menu?" I ask more than command. And watch with glee as another window pops open.

| Name: Han Jee-han  
| Class: The Gamer  
| Level: 4 – Next Level: 2,31%

| HP: 100/100  
| MP: 50/50

| STR: 7  
| VIT: 7  
| AGI: 13  
| INT: 8  
| WIS: 9  
| LUK: 9

| Points: 5  
| Cash: ₩ 3000

I squeal, unable to believe how awesome this is. It even shows how much cash I have!

With a huge grin, I tap on each stat to read their description. Everything is basically what I expected, though the description of my class is interesting, if fairly useless.

| Class: The Gamer  
| The Gamer is a person who interacts with the real world as though it is a videogame.

So, nothing I haven't already figured out myself. Still, it's nice to have confirmation from another source. Unless I've gone insane of course, then I've only gotten confirmation by my own hallucinating mind.

What really catches my interest are the five points I have. Points I can distribute across my stats.

I look over my stats, both uncertain and even more curious than before. Can I really improve my... body, I suppose, just by distributing points? In a game, of course, but for all that I now believe that this is actually happening to me, the fact remains that this is real life. It's one thing to open menus, another thing entirely to magically improve myself. Is that actually possible?

Only one way to find out.

I get up and lift my chair with both hands, doing my best to memorize exactly how it feels. Placing it back down, I put three points into strength, turning it from a seven into a nice round ten. I lift my chair again.

My jaw drops.

It worked. It actually worked! My chair is lighter than before!

I stare at the chair I'm holding up with amazement, mind completely blown. I've just become stronger in a literal instant!

Does that mean I can become instantly smarter as well?

I quickly put my chair down and put my final two points in intelligence, which increases my mp to seventy.

I wait.

...Well, I suppose it's difficult to determine whether I've gotten smarter just by standing here. But what should I do to test it? Solve another math problem?

I grimace. I hate math. This needs to be tested, though. The sooner the better.

"Close the status screen," I order while dropping back into the chair, and roll myself towards my desk. Grabbing my math book, I pick out a problem and start solving it. The result?

Inconclusive. It doesn't feel like I solved it faster than usual, and it didn't feel easier to solve either. On the other hand, I have no idea how it feels to be smarter, so maybe I did get smarter but just don't realize it? Guess I have to try again after getting some more points.

Right then. I've checked both the options and my stats. What next?

Inventory.

I open my mouth to try to call it up– I stop as I'm struck with a sudden thought. Do I even need say, open?

Time to find out.

"Inventory," I say. Sure enough, another window pops up, displaying two screens side by side. One hold a faceless character model riddles with small squares, some of which are filled with miniaturized icons of the clothing I'm wearing.

I have an equipment screen. That's so cool.

Even more interesting than that is the window besides it, filled entirely with bank squares. It seems I do have an inventory, and it's completely empty.

Can I put stuff into it? It sounds like a stupid question, I know that, but...

But can I actually put stuff into it?

Quickly looking around for something to put away, I spot a pen and pick it up. With bated breath, I tap it against the inventory screen.

There's a small flash and I feel the pen leave my hands. The first square gains an icon of a miniaturized pen.

I gape, jaw slack and eyes as wide as they can go. It worked. It actually worked! I have an actual working inventory!

I jump up with a squeal and spin around in glee. The sheer potential this has! I can carry around anything I want! I can–

Wait. Is there a size limit on the items I can put into it? Can I put away items larger than the screen itself?

To answer this question, I pick up my chair and lift it towards my inventory. Another small flash later, the chair is gone and the second square gets an icon as well. I feel a huge grin grow.

If there's a size limit, it's a big one.

I spin around with glee once more, needing to express my giddiness because this. Is. Awesome!

With a flourish, I tap the image of the chair. And quickly move to catch it as it drops out of my inventory, barely managing to prevent it from falling to the floor. Laughing, I put it down and do another happy spin.

Why did I ever worry about this? It's the best thing to ever happen to me!

"Jee-han, dinner's ready!" Mom's yell startles me more than the pop-up does, making me spin towards the door on instinct even though she shouted from downstairs.

| Quest: Have A Nice Dinner!

"Coming!" I yell back while tapping on the quest. I already know what it's going to say, but I still want to check out the details.

| Quest: Have A Nice Dinner!  
| The Gamer's Mom wants to have a nice dinner with you.  
| Completion Award:  
| – 20 EXP  
| – Increased closeness with Mom  
| Failure Award:  
| – Mom's disappointment

I close all my windows and am delighted all over again just from seeing them disappear. Then my grin falters, excitement making way for uncertainty instead. I've been avoiding Mom since yesterday. With good reason.

A reason I'm confronted with the moment I arrive downstairs.

| –?–  
| LV? Han Jung-sook

Yeah. That.

I... don't know what to think about this. Or what to do about it. Just like with Sun-il, it's obvious that Mom is keeping secrets. Unlike Sun-il, this is my mom. The thought of her keeping secrets from me is both easier and harder to bear.

All parents keep secrets from their children. Doesn't make me feel any less betrayed, no matter how irrational I know that is.

"Are you just going to stand there? Sit down and eat up," Mom orders as she finishes setting the table. Mom isn't one for conversation. Or politeness.

Even without our physical similarities, no one will ever be able to deny that I'm her daughter.

I sit down while doing my best not to stare at the question marks floating above her head. Mom sits down as well and looks me over intently, making me feel even more uncomfortable. It also makes worry start to rise.

Has she figured out what's going on with me? Anyone else, I'd say that's impossible, but this is Mom. She knows everything. That's without getting into the question marks and what they might mean. Does Mom have the same... condition as me?

Power? Ability? The Gamer class? What should I even call this?

...Can I see Mom's stats like I can my own?

"You're distracted," Mom declares, pulling me from my thoughts. I'll try to call up her stats after dinner.

"I am," I agree, knowing better than try to lie to her. Mom always knows.

Mom frowns. I can tell that it isn't because of anger, but I'm not sure what it means instead. Even being her daughter, I often have difficulties figuring out what she's thinking. Personally, I blame her absurdly young appearance. You'd never guess that Mom is almost forty years old, she looks like she's in her mid-twenties at most. We look more like sisters than mother and daughter.

"Are you alright?" Mom demands, and I realize that she's frowning because she's worried about me.

I smile, my uncertainty and faint betrayal replaced by warmth and affection. This is my mom. I love her and she loves me. Her keeping secrets is insignificant next to that.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I answer softly.

Mom gives a curt nod. "Good. Now eat up."

With a chuckle, I do just that. With Dad overseas, we eat in silence like usual. Neither Mom nor I are big talkers.

It's nice.

| Quest: Have A Nice Dinner!  
| Completed

* * *

 **AN:** I present: a female Jee-Han! Because why not :p

As you can see, there are already some slight differences happening compared to canon, and those differences will only grow as the story continues.

Hope you enjoyed!


	2. Chapter 2

Over the next two days, I figure out some more things about my ability.

The first and most important of all, I'm not crazy. While no one else can see any of the notifications or screens I call up, items put into and taken out of my inventory are real to other people as well. Of course, I haven't used my inventory in front of people. I don't want anyone asking how I can pull objects out of what seems to be thin air. Or how I can make them vanish.

The second, I can't call up anyone's stats aside from my own.

The third, changing the video or sound options only affects my own perception. Other people don't notice the change.

The fourth, I can't call up a window without vocalization. I don't need more than an incomprehensible mutter, more of a breath than anything else, but just mouthing the commands isn't enough.

The fifth, I have a larger map than the mini one. If I have an active quest, the map shows a yellow dot indicating where I needed to go. So does the mini map for that matter.

The sixth, I have a Log that details all my quests, both the active and completed ones. It also reveals that all the quests I've gotten until now are sidequests.

The seventh, sidequests give lousy exp. I still haven't leveled up again.

The eight, while I can raise my stats by investing points in them, I can also do it by performing actions. Studying increases my intelligence, though very slowly, and gym has increased my strength, vitality and agility.

The ninth, my inventory is _amazing_. I don't need to tap on the icons to pull things out, only touch the screen while thinking about what I want to take out. It also seems like my inventory doesn't have a limit on either the size of the items, or on the amount I can put away, and everything inside it is frozen in time. I figured that last out by storing away a bowl of hot soup. I didn't do it because I expected it to remain warm, I did it because I hadn't been hungry wanted to eat it later. To my surprise, after pulling it out a few hours later, the soup was still hot. To test this theory more thoroughly, I stored away a lit candle, inside a protective glass cone of course, and waited half an hour before pulling it back out. Sure enough, the candle was still lit and hadn't gotten any smaller.

Finally, I have skills and can create new ones. I discovered that particular gem by doing the dishes, of all things.

| A skill has been created through a special action!

| Dish Washing (Passive)  
| LV: 1 – EXP: 0,0%  
| A technique to wash dishes. With greater mastery, you can clean any dirty spot!  
| 5% increase in dish washing speed.

That's what popped up in the middle of me doing the dishes. It was a shock, no doubt about that. Until then, the possibility of having skills hadn't even crossed my mind. Videogame character or not, this is still the real world. What would even count as a skill?

Dish washing, apparently.

Naturally, this led to me trying to call up a skill screen. I succeeded, and in the process I discovered that I already had two other skills besides that one.

| Gamer's Mind (Passive)  
| LV: MAX  
| Allows the user to calmly think things through. Allows for a calm state of mind. Gives an immunity to psychological status effects.

| Gamer's Body (Passive)  
| LV: MAX  
| Grants a body that allows the user to interact with the real world like it is a videogame.

Those two skills are... disturbing. Or rather, they should be.

I'm more disturbed by my lack of disturbance than anything else. Which I now squarely blame on my Gamer's Mind. The skill also explains why I was so relatively unconcerned about the possibility of going crazy. Given that I don't enjoy freaking out, the skill is positive, I guess.

Except it's preventing me from feeling things I normally would, so can it really be called positive? It's changed my capacity to feel on a fundamental level without my consent, after all.

Again, I'm more disturbed by how little I'm disturbed about this.

Then there's my Gamer's Body. I've discovered that among other things, this means I no longer get tired. Well no, I do, but after half an hour of rest I feel as good as new, no fatigue or aches left whatsoever. Very useful.

What's even more useful is that as long as I sleep in a bed, I no longer need to sleep for more than an hour a day, if even that. How did I discover this? By staying up way too late to mess around my ability. When I finally went to bed, my brain had been exhausted, though my body hadn't been.

I woke up after a mere four hours of sleep and felt like I had a full night's rest. Naturally, I stayed up even later the next night, and was once more fully rested after just an hour of sleep. I tried napping in different places as well, but unless I sleep on a bed, I don't feel like I've slept an entire night.

I haven't checked if I can manage with less than an hour of sleep. Partly because I enjoy dreaming, but mostly because I need just one hour. It'll be a sad day when I can't even spare that much time.

Another effect of my Gamer's Body is that I can no longer be hurt like normal. I discovered this when I harshly banged my knee against the corner of my desk and it didn't do anything beyond making me lose a single hp. I didn't even get a bruise. Not to mention that the pain it caused faded far more rapidly than usual.

I suppose this is normal. For a relative meaning of normal, at least. It's not like videogame characters can get wounds or break bones. You might get an effect saying that you did and gain a status penalty, but the character itself remains capable of walking around like normal.

While obviously I can't test this theory extensively, I can test it a little. Which I did by pricking my finger with a knife. Not much, just enough to draw a drop of blood.

Instead of breaking skin, I lost one hp. I tried pushing down harder after that and lost two hp, but I still didn't break skin. After a short debate, I took the risk of trying to cut open my own palm. This led to me losing five hp.

I still didn't draw blood.

I don't really know what to think about this. It's awesome, no doubt about that, but the fact remains that my body, just like my mind, has been fundamentally changed without my consent. I should be freaking out about this. A lot.

I'm not.

For now, I've decided to put those two skills out of my mind. While apparently I can't freak out anymore, I still feel things. And my lack of worry, fear, and disturbance over these two skills make me feel worry, fear and disturbance over that lack. Except the intensity of those emotions are... muted, is the best way I can think to describe it.

Ironically, this just heightens the worry, fear and disturbance I'm feeling, except those emotions keep being muted, which only heightens them some more while somehow managing to remain muted as well, which heightens them even more except they keep being muted–

See, this is why I don't think too deeply about this. Not in the least because I've determined that I can't turn off passive skills.

I've come to the conclusion that worrying about it would just be a waste of time. Instead I should have fun.

While my Gamer's Mind and Gamer's Body are both at their maximum level, my other skills aren't. I can level them, and thus, improve them by performing them repeatedly. Dish Washing has already gained another level, which increased dish washing speed to six percent.

It _feels_ like I'm having an easier time doing the dishes, but it's hard to tell if I actually am, objectively speaking. For now, at least. The effect should get more noticeable after leveling it some more.

I tried to create more skills as well, and I succeeded! Eventually.

| Blunt Weapon Mastery (Passive)  
| LV: 7 – EXP: 73,41%  
| Allows the user to skillfully handle blunt weapons.  
| 30% increase in attack damage with blunt weapons. 10% increase in attack speed with blunt weapons.

| Power Strike (Active)  
| LV: 3 – EXP: 12,03%  
| Cost: 10 MP  
| Strikes the target with a strong force.  
| 17% increase in critical rate. 150% increase in attack damage.

Those two were created by me smacking various branches into a tree at the park. Practicing not only leveled them, it's increased my strength as well.

I strongly suspect that most of my potential skills will be fight related. I'm in a videogame, after all. Specifically, I'm in some kind of RPG. Not all skills in an RPG are related to fighting of course, but the overwhelming majority is.

The potential skills not related to fighting led me to trying to create any kind of crafting skill. Until now, no such luck. That's a real shame, crafting skills would be a lot more useful than fighting skills.

I seriously have no idea why Dish Washing is a skill but drawing isn't. Neither is singing, dancing, jumping, running, and a few other things besides.

A lot of other things. Though on the bright side, my efforts to get new skills has increased my agility.

Besides those two, I've gained one other skill. By dancing, though the skill itself isn't related to dance in the slightest.

| Fool's Act (Active)  
| LV: 6 – EXP: 6,59%  
| Cost: 5 MP  
| Movements that make the target doubt the mental integrity of the user.  
| Has a chance to confuse the target for 3 seconds.

Activating it led to the discovery that it moves my body without my consent, jerking me around in the most ridiculous of ways. It should've been terrifying, not having any control like that.

It's hilarious. I'm having a lot of fun with that one.

Those are all the things I've discovered until now. For today, the planning consists of trying to create more skills after school. More specifically, trying to create a crafting skill. I think my best bet is helping Mom cook, so that's what I'm going to do.

I continue walking towards school, very much enjoying that I don't need to carry my backpack. Having an inventory is wonderful.

I finish crossing the street– I halt with confusion when a notification pops up.

| There is an Instant Dungeon in front of you!  
| Do you wish to enter?  
| Yes/No

I look down the street. Turn my head left and right, even slowly spin around in a circle just to make sure.

There's a dungeon here? Where? Everything looks normal.

Returning my gaze to the notification, I hesitate. For a long time.

On one hand, potential enemies, and thus, potential danger. On the other...

...Screw it, I'm curious. I tap Yes.

The world shifts.

I'm standing in the exact same spot as before and everything looks almost the same. Except now there are no pedestrians, no moving cars, no birds flying around. Nothing but a ghost town. There isn't a single sound either, like I've turned the ambient noise to zero. Creepy.

Cool.

Excited, I start exploring, wondering what I'll find. Yet as I encounter nothing but empty streets, my excitement starts to fade. This is supposed to be a dungeon? How disappointing.

That's when howls rip through the air.

I startle, before a huge grin breaks free and I start running towards the sound, curiosity back in full force. I look around as I run, trying to find out what caused those howls. It takes a few moments before I manage, but when I do, I halt with shock.

There, standing on a house, is a three-headed dog the size of a small bus.

I stare some more. But no, the image doesn't change. That's a grey, shaggy furred, impossibly large, three-headed dog.

Is that an enemy? I... honestly can't imagine it being anything else. This is just what I'd expect to find in a videogame. Even so, my mind is having some trouble processing this.

It's a giant three-headed dog.

In fact, I'm so distracted by the dog that it takes me an embarrassing amount of time to realize that there's a person standing besides it. A man wearing a black suit and large shades. Unfortunately, I can't make out what the text above his head says, he's too far away for that. I could move closer of course, but given that I would also be moving closer to a giant three-headed dog, I decide not to.

I'm curious, not suicidal.

The dog– dogs– the three heads snarl and bare enormous teeth. I turn my gaze in the direction all three heads are glaring at, and see with surprise that there's another person standing on a different house. A girl with long and brilliant red hair, wearing some kind of school uniform. If she hadn't been wearing a uniform, I would've called her a woman. Even at this distance, her chest is extremely impressive.

I continue watching the scene with fascination when I suddenly realize something very important.

I'm hearing things. More specifically, I'm hearing voices.

Now there's a thought that should make me doubt my own sanity.

I'm too far away to understand what's being said, but the lack of other sounds ensures that those voices are a lot more noticeable than they'd otherwise be. It's a shame I can't understand what's being said.

I decide to fix that.

"Options." I open the sound tab and am about to turn up the ambient noise– I freeze, jaw slack and eyes as wide as they can go.

The dog is lunging towards the girl, so fast it's nothing but a grey blur. My jaw becomes even more unhinged as the girl jumps to meet the dog, reaching heights that simply shouldn't be possible.

One of the heads actually breathes _fire_ at the girl, but before I can even begin to think of how to react to that, the girl somehow _punches through it_.

She smacks the dog down the street with her bare hands, the crash is so violent that I feel the ground tremble faintly, dust and rubble flying up everywhere.

This is awesome!

This is dangerous.

This could kill me.

The knowledge strikes like lightning, erasing most of my curiosity and causing muted worry, fear, and a rush of pure adrenaline to take over. Time to get out of here.

"Close options," I order while spinning on my heel and sprinting back the way I came. I just need to reach the place I entered the dungeon so I can escape this incredibly amazing but also incredibly dangerous situation.

I don't make it. One moment I'm running as fast as I can, the next I'm falling forward with a startled yelp.

I land flat on my face.

| -5 HP

Confused, I turn my hurting face to look at my feet, which feel like they're encased in metal.

They aren't encased in metal. They're encased in a brown... blob?

What?

I have no time to think about this further because suddenly I'm being yanked through the air, making me scream as my surrounding blur by. When they stop blurring, I find myself dangling in the air, held upside down above the man in the suit. I'm also flashing my panties for all the world to see and I quickly push my skirt up as best I can in my position, even as my eyes follow along the thing that's holding me up in the air.

The brown blow can apparently stretch like rubber. Because why not.

Heart hammering in my ears, not panicking but very scared nonetheless, I turn my attention to the man I'm dangling above and tilt my head to the side so I can read the text above his head.

| Black Summoner  
| LV 46 Hwan Sung-gon

What the– level _forty-six?_ How–

"Kwon Shi-yun, are you thinking of running away?" the Black Summoner asks like he's commenting on the weather, his shades aimed in the direction of the redheaded girl. "If you do, I will tear this unfortunate girl to pieces," he continues just as casually.

Dude, _not cool_.

I looks towards the girl, half to see her text and her reaction to that threat, half because I'm desperately hoping that she can get me out of this situation.

| Yunhon Third Rank  
| LV 32 Kwon Shi-yun

She has an absurdly high level as well! Except the Black Summoner is fourteen levels higher, which means he's a lot stronger than her. Which means she won't be able to help me. Damn it.

My attention is drawn back to the Black Summoner as I notice him lifting a hand from the corner of my vision. I stare with astonishment as out of nowhere he becomes surrounded by a huge mass of that brown... liquid? Substance? I have no idea what it is.

I focus on more important things, like what he's planning to do with the thing. Catch the girl like he caught me? Attack her with it? Both?

| A skill has been created through a special action!

| Observe (Active)  
| LV: 1 – EXP: 0,0%  
| A skill to observe people, situations and objects, allowing the user to quickly gather information. The higher the skill, the more data obtained!

Great timing!

"You coward, how dare you bring a normal into this," I absently hear the girl demand as I turn my attention towards the blob holding me up.

"Observe," I say, and while part of me realizes that the Black Summoner is answering the girl, most of my attention is on the information I now have access to.

| LV16 Black Slime  
| HP: 1200/1200  
| MP: 500/500  
| A slime that lives in the Demon World. It has the ability to harden its body.

It has hp, which means it can be defeated. It might be more than ten levels above my own, but the desire to live is a wonderful motivator.

My attention is yanked back to the three-headed dog as all three heads howl loudly, before it attacks the girl again. The girl's response?

She kicks its ass, ending the fight with a sucker-punch that literally shatters the dog into dust.

For a moment I can only stare at her with awe as she lightly lands on a nearby roof, before my eyes widen with shock.

"Look out!" I yell as the rest of the Demon Slime the Black Summoner had, well, summoned, rises behind her like a tsunami. I see the girl clasp her hands together right before she's swallowed by the Demon Slime.

This isn't good.

As soon as I think that, the mass of slime starts to boil, before it violently explodes in all directions, make me yelp as a few pieces shoot right by me. I stare with awe at the once more visible girl. Her entire body is somehow on fire, yet it isn't hurting her!

She's amazing. I'd call her cool, except she's literally too hot for that.

"That's what I wanted to see." The Black Summoner's soft statement draws my attention back towards him, and I see him looking at the girl on fire with what I think is satisfaction. The shades make it difficult to tell. "Why don't we test your limits?" he continues while raising a hand I now notice is adorned with a silver ring, thin chains dangling from it and disappearing into the sleeve of his suit.

A huge, glowing circle appears behind him, full of strange symbols that crackle in a far too ominous way. Obviously, the Black Summoner is summoning something.

The sight makes me refocus on the danger I'm in. I have to get out of here. Right now.

Ignoring both the Black Summoner and the girl that's still on fire, I turn my attention to the Demon Slime holding me captive. After taking a quick moment to go over my options, I decide on a course of action.

I let go of my skirt, modesty meaningless next to survival, and heave my torso up so I can grasp the slime with both hands. It feels like rubbery steel. Bizarre.

As bizarre as being calm yet more pumped up than I've ever been at the same time.

I do my best to tear the slime off my feet, but it has zero effect. The damn thing just stretches without letting go off my feet and snaps back into place the moment I let go. A different tactic is needed.

Keeping hold of the slime with one hand, I ball my other into a fist and hit it as hard as I can. Unfortunately, that doesn't have any effect either.

Behind me, I hear the air screech in a way I hadn't known is possible, but my current position means that I can't turn to look at the circle without letting go of the Demon Slime. Which I don't do, of course. I can't waste the time I would need to heave myself upright again.

Even without looking, I'm sure that whatever was being summoned has just manifested. Which means that the situation has become even more dangerous than before, and thus, it's even more necessary to escape.

I pray that what I'm about to do will work.

"Power Strike!" Yelling might be unnecessary, but I'm feeling almost jittery because of the adrenaline except I really don't, and I just really want to yell.

I hit the Demon Slime. It shudders and twitches.

It doesn't let go.

"Power Strike!" I try again, not knowing what else to do.

| Critical hit!

The Demon Slime lets go! I'm free!

I'm falling!

Screaming and closing my eyes, full of so many regrets as I realize that I'm going to die– I crash down the roof head first.

| -70 HP

That hurts. So much.

But I'm not dead and that's the most important thing of all, so I quickly get to my feet– I throw myself to the side as the Demon Slime lunges at me.

It misses and hits the roof, stabbing straight through it and making rubble fly as I land on my ass besides it. I quickly scramble back to my feet and put more distance between us.

Note to self, do _not_ get hit.

What should I do? Should I run? That would be the best option by far, except running simply isn't possible. I'm standing on top of a house, and given that I've lost almost half my health from falling from a far lesser height, I'm definitely not going to jump down. Which means I'm stuck on the roof with the Demon Slime.

Which means I have to defeat it.

That's when a praying mantis the size of a truck flies by. I gape as I follow along it's flight, before quickly returning my attention to the more immediate problem. Demon Slime first, giant bug after.

The Demon Slime still hasn't attacked again, it's just wobbling in place. Does it need time to recover after an attack?

| Observe has risen by 1!

What? Why– not important. What's important is that there should me more information available now. Hopefully it'll be useful.

"Observe."

| LV16 Black Slime  
| HP: 880/1200  
| MP: 500/500  
| A slime that lives in the demon world. It has the ability to harden its body. It moves slower than a human's running speed, but when getting too close it can attack with high speed.

Good to know. Now, I've done 320 damage with two attacks, one of which was critical. That means I have to hit it–

I lunge to the side as the Demon Slime shoots back towards me, and I once more land on my ass as it destroys another part of the roof. I get back to my feet as it starts pulling itself back together.

Without another critical hit, I'll have to hit it... nine times.

I only have enough mana left for eight more hits. I need another critical hit. One at the very least, preferably more. Preferably a lot more, seeing as I still have to worry about the Black Summoner afterwards.

While the Demon Slime continues to wobble in place, I take the risk of glancing around. My quick inspection reveals that the giant mantis is fighting the girl on fire, but I don't see the Black Summoner anywhere.

Returning my gaze towards the Demon Slime, I wait until it attacks again.

I dodge to the side, taking care not to fall on my ass, and shoot towards it as it begins pulling itself together.

"Power Strike, Power Strike!" I hit the thing twice before regaining some distance between us. I didn't get another critical hit and the slime has about sixty percent health left.

Wait, that health bar wasn't there before, why is it now? Doesn't matter, the why isn't important. Survival is.

Come on, just one critical hit!

I dodge another attack, move in, and hit it two more times.

No critical hit.

Four chances left.

| Quest: Get To School In Time!  
| Failed

Seriously? Not the time!

I dodge the next attack, move in, and hit the slime twice more.

| Power Strike has risen by 1!

No critical hit. Damn it!

I can only hit it two more times. Without a critical hit, the Demon Slime will still have a sliver of health left.

Without my Gamer's Mind, I'm pretty sure that I would've started crying.

Waiting until it attacks again, I dodge, move in, hit it, don't get a critical hit and pray to any god that'll listen for a critical hit as I use the last of my mana to strike–

| Critical hit!

The Demon Slime shatters into dust! I won!

| Your level went up by 1!

| Your level went up by 1!

I leveled up! I'm awesome!

I let out a victorious laugh, incredibly proud of myself and so giddy that the emotion becomes muted. My laugh turns into a scream as something explodes behind me, making me spin around and refocus on the danger I'm still in.

I have no mana left.

I finish spinning around just in time to see that the girl on fire has an entire flaming arm buried inside the giant bug. The bug shatters into dust. Excellent, that's one less thing to worry about.

But where's the Black Summoner?

I look around, searching for any sign of him but finding none. There's no other summoned creature either.

Did he flee? Why? He's over ten levels higher than the girl, shouldn't that mean he can easily defeat her?

On the other hand, I just defeated an enemy over ten levels higher than my own. Clearly, levels aren't everything. Still, why did he flee without even attempting to fight her? Or did he attempt to fight her while I was distracted by the Demon Slime?

Just to make sure he's really gone, I slowly spin around in another circle– and yelp as I come face to face with the girl, no longer on fire and standing so close that I instinctively take a step back. Hazel eyes look me over intently from head to toe, her expression serious and intense.

Given how beautiful she is, I can't help but feel self-conscious. Not something that happens often, I'm both aware and at peace with the fact that I'm average at best. Yet this girl is not only incredibly beautiful, she's so awesome that I can't help but want to make an impression on her.

Actually, making any kind of impression on her might not be the smartest thing to do, seeing as she can literally squash me like a bug. A giant one.

"What are you?" she demands so abruptly it makes me twitch with surprise, my mind blank. Conversation isn't my strong point. Especially not when facing such an intimidating person. Beautiful, but also intimidating.

"...I'm human?" I more ask than answer.

The girl frowns, increasing her intimidation factor by about a thousand. "Demon Slime can't be defeated by normals. How did you destroy it?" she demands just as abruptly as before.

I hesitate. How am I supposed to explain my ability?

Wait a minute, why do I have to explain anything at all? I nearly died because of her and the Black Summoner! Granted, the girl wasn't the one who dragged me into the fight, but given that the Black Summoner was holding me hostage so that she wouldn't run, she's still partly responsible for my near demise. Not to mention that she didn't help me survive, I defeated the Demon Slime all on my own. The girl might've been understandably preoccupied with the giant bug, but the point still stands.

I straighten my back and cross my arms. "Why are you interrogating me? I have no idea what's going on here," I counter. "In fact, you should be answering my questions," I finish while lifting my chin, daring her to disagree.

"Answer. Who are you?" the girl demands, completely ignoring my own words. I scowl but decide to reply. If I answer her questions, she'll have to answer mine.

"I'm Jee-han." If she's going to be abrupt, I can be too. "I have... a power," I decide on as an explanation, figuring it can't hurt to answer her previous question as well. After all, I'm planning to interrogate her about what exactly is going on here. Seems fair to be at least a little polite in return.

The girl– Shi-yun, it's really rude even for me to think of her as the girl, narrows her eyes thoughtfully. "You look stupid."

I gape. Did she just– how rude! And here I am trying to be polite.

Before I can come up with a retort, Shi-yun nods curtly, her expression smoothing out. "Your name and face. I've memorized it." With that, she spins on her heel and marches towards the edge of the roof. I stare at her retreating back with confusion. What the– Hey!

I start running after her. "Wait a minute, I've got que–" I halt with surprise as, from one moment to the next, Shi-yun fades away into nothing.

What?

I move towards the spot she disappeared and wave my hands through the air, trying to find anything out of the ordinary.

Nothing.

I scowl. What a rude person. Hypocritical of me, I know and don't care. She didn't answer even a single question, and to add insult to injury, she called me stupid!

Groaning, I tilt back my head and scowl up at the sky with frustration. Still scowling, I sit down the hole riddled roof, before I sigh and rub my eyes. The adrenaline rush is starting to fade.

My head hurts and I'm tired. Kind of tired. My brain feels tired, at least. And school hasn't even started yet.

School. Oh crap.

Somehow, I don't think "I got held up by Demon Slime" will be accepted as an excuse for tardiness. Great.

A loud crack makes me snap my head upwards. I blink, wondering if I'm really seeing what it is I'm seeing. I even rub my eyes to make sure, but no, the image doesn't change.

The sky is broken. As in, there's a huge fracture running across it like it's made of glass. Instead of, you know, air.

It's the weirdest thing I've ever seen. Given all that's just happened, that's really saying something. Yet those other things, while utterly fantastical, weren't nearly as disturbing as seeing a fractured sky. The sky shouldn't be broken. It's just plain wrong.

Suddenly, with a sound that's not quite like breaking glass but which is the closest thing I can think of to compare it to, the crack in the sky branches out with dizzying speed until a web of interconnected fractures runs across everything in sight. Including the buildings. The only thing it isn't affecting is me. I wonder what this means.

If this ends up with me in another dangerous situation, I'm going to be pissed.

The world shatters.

All damage, both to this roof and the surrounding ones, is gone as though the entire battle never happened, and the air fills with the sounds of cars, people, birds, and so much more. I see a plane flying high above me.

Apparently I'm out of the dungeon. This is the good news.

The bad news is that I'm still stuck on a roof.

Now what?

* * *

 **AN:** Whew, this chapter was difficult to write. Mostly because it's an action scene, and action scenes are always difficult.

Hope you enjoyed!


	3. Chapter 3

Seeing as there's no fire escape, I decide to wait on the roof until my health is completely restored before attempting to get down.

I can't believe there's no fire escape. Safety regulations are apparently more like guidelines for this building.

Waiting on the roof might make much too late for school, but I'm not going to get myself killed because of a hurry to get there. Besides, I'm already late. An hour more or less won't make that much of a difference. In fact, waiting is probably for the best. First period is taught by Teacher Do, and I have no desire to get disciplined by the Rod of Love. Teacher Ang is much more lenient.

Being stuck on a roof gives me ample time to think over what's happened and all the implications it holds. I boil them down to the most important ones.

Obviously, I'm not the only one with a power. Obviously, not everyone with powers is a nice person.

Obviously, I can be killed. Easily.

Too easily.

I need to train. A lot. Until now, I've just been having fun, but that can't continue anymore. I'm not going to get myself killed because of laziness.

Of course, I need to do more than just train. I need to gather information. Specifically, I need to gather information about people with powers.

I know just who to ask.

Sun-il's level indicates that he has a power as well. Hopefully this theory is correct, because having a best friend who knows what's going on would be invaluable. I would've told him even without that of course, but the benefit of him potentially having powers means that I'll tell him as soon as possible.

After coming to these important decisions, I take a moment to think up an excuse for my tardiness. I decide to go with, I overslept. Simple yet effective

Well, it'll be effective if school hasn't called Mom yet. However, given that my phone, which hadn't been in my inventory but which has miraculously managed to survive all that happened, isn't exploding with angry calls, I'm confident that they haven't notified her of my absence. Yet.

Every minute that passes increases the odds of that happening.

I start thinking of ways to get down, and eventually decide that my best bet is to slide down the drain.

My health still needs more time to recover, so I decide to train Observe. It's a very useful skill, and it doesn't even cost mp.

I look up at a cloud and say "Observe."

| Cloud  
| Condensed water vapor. When gaining sufficient mass, the vapor turns to liquid, causing rain.

How literal.

| Concrete Roof  
| A roof made out of concrete.

How very literal. Do all the descriptions of objects just state the obvious?

| Drain  
| A metal pipe designed to drain off water. It is sturdily affixed to the building and is capable of bearing the average weight of a grown man.

Apparently they don't. What an oddly specific yet incredibly helpful detail. Though this does raise the question, are the descriptions influenced by my... intentions? Plans? General thoughts?

I can't exactly answer that just by Observing three objects. However, given that I'm on a roof, there aren't that many other things to Observe.

I decide to Observe the things in my inventory. In the process, I discover that I can't Observe my inventory itself. I also discover that I don't need to pull objects out to Observe them, the icons are enough.

| Backpack  
| A pack designed to be carried on a person's back. It is filled with various supplies for school.

Once more, this is just stating the obvious.

| Panties  
| Clothing meant to cover a person's privates. It has a cute bow.

True, the bow is very cute. It's why I bought it in the first place.

| Bra  
| Clothing designed to support a person's breasts. Most commonly worn by females. It has a cute bow.

More specifically, it has the same bow as the panties. They're a matching set, after all.

On another note, most commonly? Really?

| Cargo Pants  
| Baggy pants with many pockets. They are comfortable to wear but don't flatter a person's legs.

So? I'm a comfort over appearance kind of person.

| Shirt  
| A large cotton shirt. It has a ridiculous picture.

And that picture is why I bought it.

| Sweater  
| A soft, shapeless sweater that doesn't show off a person's figure. Perfect for chilly weather.

I adore that thing, I really do. It's just so comfy.

| Sneakers  
| Comfortable but ugly shoes. Great for running.

If these descriptions really are influenced by me, then why does it feel like they're all vaguely insulting? The ones for my clothes, at least. Aside from my underwear, all of them seem to imply, and in the case of my sneaker, literally state, that they're ugly. Which, rude.

...Which is a point in favor of the descriptions being influenced by me. My personality? Personal tastes? My underwear got complimented, after all. Then again, my other clothes got insulted even though I like them.

Is it just my clothes, or do other things have slightly insulting descriptions as well?

| Cookies  
| A package of chocolate chip cookies. They are sweet and crunchy.  
| +5 HP per cookie

I stare, before closing my eyes with a groan. _Of course_ food recovers health, why am I even surprised? In fact, how did I not realize this on my own?

Wasting no time, I pull out the package and start eating. When my health is fully restored, I store the remaining cookies away and put my plan into action.

I slide down the drain.

No matter that the description said that it can hold a grown man's weight, I'm still a little worried that the pipe will detach. Fortunately, it doesn't. And thanks to my Gamer's Body, I don't scrape all the skin off my palms.

I wasn't worried about losing my grip. I'm a console chick, and diligent gaming with a controller has made my fingers strong.

I still slide down faster than I like. The impact with the ground is jarring.

| -10 HP

Calling up my inventory, I take out two more cookies to recover my lost health, before I start running. Luckily, school is nearby and it doesn't take me long to reach it. Even so, I make a mental note to put my bicycle in my inventory. Never know when I might end up in a situation like this again. Hopefully I won't ever repeat this experience, but hope isn't a guarantee for the future.

Halting next to the entrance and out of sight of the windows, I quickly look around to check that no one is watching, before I pull out my backpack and race inside.

"Teacher Do, my deepest apologies for being late!" I exclaim with a deep bow the moment I enter the classroom. He falls silent halfway through his sentence.

Please don't use the Rod of Love, please don't use the Rod of Love.

"Han Jee-han," he says ominously. I wince.

He's going to use the Rod of Love.

"I'm so sorry, I overslept!" I rush out, no matter that I know it's useless to try to make him change his mind. As I straighten, I habitually glance at the text above his head.

| Passionate Teacher  
| LV15 Do Gi-hyun

"You know the rules," Teacher Do declares, and I wince again as he picks up the Rod of Love. This is going to hurt.

I get five strikes and a slightly tender butt as punishment for my tardiness. Which is kind of odd. My Gamer Body means things hurt less now, so my butt shouldn't be tender. Yet somehow, the Rod of Love still masterfully straddled the edge of _ouch, this hurts_ , without turning into _this crazy teacher is abusing me!_ Teacher Do is special that way.

My punishment also leads to an unexpected reward.

| Physical Resistance (Passive)  
| LV: 1 – EXP: 92,09%  
| Increases the body's durability, allowing for less damage taken.  
| 1% decrease in damage taken by physical attacks.

That skill is completely worth the tenderness of my butt. Leveling it will make my odds of survival shoot through the roof. Though I'm not looking forward to the actual leveling.

Leveling it is going to hurt. A lot.

When I'm sent to my desk, Sun-il gives me a questioning look, silently asking what that was all about. Unsurprisngly, my excuse hasn't fooled him.

Seeing as class is already in session, I give him a look that means _later_.

I sit down, take out my materials, and sigh softly as I slump down my chair. I still feel wrung out. Not physically, but my brain feels tired. I very much want to nap in a bed and wake up completely refreshed.

Unfortunately, I'm required to pay some attention to what Teacher Do is saying. My tardiness means that he's frequently calling up on me. Thankfully, Teacher Do is pretty entertaining when he teaches, so it isn't that difficult to do.

Yet even though I pay the minimum required attention to what Teacher Do is saying, I can't help but keep thinking about the fight. I might've finished calmly thinking things through, but that doesn't mean I can just put it out of my mind.

I almost died. Who wouldn't keep thinking about that?

The worst thing is that while this knowledge makes me feel so anxious, worried, and frightened to the point where I should be panicking, I'm not. Those emotions keep being so oddly muted, making me feel something that isn't panic, but it can't be called true calm either.

It's very unpleasant. So I decide to distract myself by training Observe. Specifically, I decide to Observe people.

"Observe," I breathe out as soft as possible.

| Name: Do Gi-Hyun  
| Class: Passionate Teacher  
| Title: The Terror Of Students  
| Job: High School Teacher  
| Race: Human  
| Gender: Male  
| Age: 42

| Level: 15 – Next Level: 29,42%  
| HP: 1500/1500  
| MP: 50/50

| STR: 20  
| VIT: 56  
| AGI: 12  
| INT: 10  
| WIS: 9  
| LUK: 8

Huh. Apparently I can see other people's stats now. That's useful. Also, Teacher Do's title fits him perfectly.

I continue Observing first my classmates, then all the objects I can. In the process I discover that I can't Observe things if they aren't within my sight. There's also a mental component to the skill, because I always get the description of what I want to Observe specifically.

I test this more thoroughly on Ji-ah, seated right in front of me. When I Observe her with a desire to see her stats, I get those. When I stare at the exact same spot with a desire to Observe her blazer, I get a description of that.

Good to know that I won't have to worry about accidentally Observing the wrong thing.

The other things I discover is that Observing people gives more exp than Observing objects does, and the skill only gets exp the first time I Observe something. Also, all the objects I Observe don't have vaguely insulting descriptions like my clothes do. Which begs the question, why are the descriptions of my clothes different?

To my regret, I can't Observe Sun-il. He's seated two rows behind me, and every time I start turning my head the slightest in any direction other than my books or Teacher Do, Teacher Do calls on me. At least I can still glance at things from the corner of my eyes without his notice. As long as I keep my head tilted down, that is.

Time seems to crawl by at a snail's pace. By the time we're finally given a break, Observe has risen to level four.

The moment we're allowed to move, I march towards Sun-il's desk.

"We need to talk," I declare.

"Good morning, Jee-han. How are you this fine day? I'm great, thanks for asking," Sun-il returns with a sunny smile while casually leaning back in his chair. I scowl, not in the mood for our usual banter.

"I'm serious, we need to talk. I..." I sigh and close my eyes. My brain still feels wrung out. "I need your help," I finish as I open my eyes.

Sun-il's smile has faded and his eyes are open fully, his posture worried and tense. "What's wrong?" he demands, his usual zen gone. Worry is one of the only things that can accomplish that.

I shake my head. "I'll tell you during lunch. It's a long story." It really is. It also isn't something I want to talk about when surrounded by classmates. "But I need your help," I repeat, meaning every word. Even if Sun-il doesn't have a power, I still need his help. Or rather, I want it.

I'm _really_ hoping that he has a power, though.

Sun-il gives a worried look a moment longer, before he gives a nod of agreement. "Of course I'll help," he promises, and I let out a relieved breath as the unpleasant not-panic fades away. I knew he would help of course, but it's still reassuring to hear him say it out loud.

"Thanks," I return with a smile, already so much more at ease with this entire situation.

"You're welcome," he says with his usual sunny smile, cheerfully zen once more.

Silence falls. It's a nice silence.

Naturally, Sun-il breaks it.

"But really, you can't even be bothered to say hello first? I feel used."

"Hello," I say in my most deadpan voice.

Sun-il lets out a falsely resigned sigh. "Well, I suppose better late than never."

"So glad you approve," I shoot back sarcastically. Sun-il shakes his head with such disappointment.

"I just don't understand where it all went wrong," he declares to the world in general.

"It's alright, I forgive you. You can't help being an ass," I comfort.

"No, you kicked me the very first time we spoke," he brings up for the millionth time, making me roll my eyes on pure habit. "It was clear from the start that you were a hopeless case."

"You have got to let this go," I tell him for the millionth time as well. Seriously, it's been over a decade, we were both nothing but dumb kids. He needs to let this go.

"How can I? There I was, trying to be friendly, and your response was to _kick_ me," Sun-il recalls incorrectly.

"Friendly isn't the word I'd use. As I recall, you told me I was weird and stupid." If he isn't going to let me forget that I kicked him, I'm not going to let him forget that he insulted me first.

Our initial meeting is basically our entire friendship in a nutshell.

"Only because you made fun of my hair," Sun-il returns like it's supposed to be a valid excuse. Besides, I wasn't making fun of his hair, I was pointing out the obvious. Which is this.

"Your hair is naturally green." Granted, I didn't use those exact words, but the sentiment was the same.

"Your point being?" Sun-il asks like it's real question.

"Sun-il. Your hair is _naturally green_ ," I emphasize, feeling a grin grow. This entire argument is ridiculous as ever.

It's exactly what I need.

"Still waiting for you to make your point."

We spend the remaining time trading insults, and I'm grateful that Sun-il keeps the conversation light. He doesn't even ask why I was late.

When break is over, I return to my seat with a smile, feeling so much better than before.

Now I just need to make it to lunch.

* * *

As soon as we're allowed to leave class, I drag Sun-il to our corner underneath the stairs, not bothering to get something to eat first. I can pull something out of my inventory later.

Sun-il doesn't suggest we go eat first either, which shows just how worried he is more than anything else could.

"Tell me what's wrong," he demands the moment I let go of his arm.

I hesitate. Now that it's time to explain things, I don't really know where to start.

Well. Best start at the beginning.

"Four days ago, I woke up with... a power, I guess," I say, my voice coming out more awkward than intended. Sun-il keeps quiet and gives me an unreadable look, an incredibly rare occurrence. It's enough to make me uncomfortable all on its own, even without adding in the rest of the situation.

I cross my arms and tilt my head back, deliberately not looking at him. It's easier to figure out how to explain things without having to worry about his reaction as well.

"At first I thought I was going insane, but I'm not. I don't know how it happened, but... well, I somehow became a videogame character. I have hp and mp, stats and skills– wow, that sounds crazy," I interrupt myself with sudden realization, keeping my eyes aimed at the ceiling while trying to figure out how to not sound crazy instead.

Offering him proof should be the easiest way to accomplish that.

"I have proof. Inventory," I call up and blindly pull out the first thing I can think of, which happens to be my favorite sweater, before I lower my head to look at Sun-il– I freeze.

Sun-il is still giving me an unreadable look, yet for some reason I can't help but feel that right now, he is very, _very_ dangerous. In a way I've only known him to be a handful of times in my entire life.

In a way I could've never imagined he'd aim at me.

I clutch my sweater closer, uncertain on how to proceed. I decide to keep quiet and wait for him to make the next move.

After a moment that feels a lot longer than it actually is, Sun-il closes his eyes with a pained grimace, the inexplicable sense of danger gone like it was never there. He brings up a hand to rub his forehead and lets out the deepest sigh I've ever heard him make, incredulous, anguished, despairing, and completely exasperated.

"You're a natural. Of course you are," he says softly to himself.

A natural? And why does he look like I've just told him that the world is about to end?

Most importantly. "You believe me?" Yes, I expected that, but it's still so weird to hear him accept my power with nothing but that brief explanation. Even if I did pull a sweater out of, to him, thin air.

The great news is that his immediate acceptance means that he definitely has a power as well.

"It does explain why you've been acting so weird," Sun-il returns while opening his eyes and trying to give a sunny smile.

He fails, he still looks far too despairing to pull it off. It's not only unpleasant to see, it's confusing. What's there to despair about? I haven't even told him about this morning yet.

And I haven't been acting weird. In fact, I'm pretty proud of how well I managed to hide my power.

"I haven't been acting weird," I deny, feeling a little indignant. It's a relief to see Sun-il raise a mocking brow in return, his sense of despair lifting a bit.

He lifts a hand and raises his index finger like he's ticking something off. "You're constantly glancing at the space above people's heads." He raises a second finger. "You're frequently staring at nothing like there's something in front of you." There goes the third finger. "You've been mumbling to yourself." He lowers his hand and gave me a pointed look full of wry amusement. "And finally, you haven't talked about your latest obsession in _days_."

Well, when he puts it like that.

"Then why didn't you ask about it?" I deflect instead of admitting that he's right.

Sun-il's expression becomes fond. "I knew you'd tell me eventually. You always do."

He has a point.

Sun-il lets out another deep sigh and closes his eyes, a pained grimace appearing briefly. Thankfully, he soon pulls himself together with a curt nod.

"Right then," he says as he opens his eyes, serious and determined. "Explain your power to me."

"I told you, I'm a videogame character," I repeat, because that really does sum up the essence of it.

"And being a videogame character allows you to pull things out of thin air, how?" Sun-il asks in a way that silently insults my intelligence, and he sits down the stairs.

"By having an inventory," I retort in an equally insulting way as I sit down beside him, sweater held between my hands and my inventory following along. Really, I know he did it on habit, but to make fun of me in a situation like this? Ass hole.

"An inventory?" Sun-il asks in a way that means _now is not the time for your usual reluctance to vocalize anything other than insults_.

"You can't see it, I'm the only one who can. But yes, an inventory. As in, a screen with icons of whatever I put inside it," I answer in a tone that means _then don't provoke me, asshole_.

It makes Sun-il huff, giving me a small but true smile, before he turns serious again. "Okay, you have an inventory. What else? You said you had skills?"

"I do," I confirm while bringing up my sweater and putting it back in my inventory. Sun-il's eyes widen with surprise. I grin at his reaction. "I've got a couple already, and I can create new ones by performing special actions. Close inventory," I finish. The screen blinks out of existence.

Sun-il keeps looking at the place my inventory– well, to him the spot of thin air where my sweater vanished, with fascination.

"I know, it's _amazing_ ," I say, excited by my power all over again.

Sun-il shakes his head with disbelief. "It's unbelievable, that's what it is. You're a natural and your ability is related to videogames. Honestly, this could only happen to y–" He cuts himself off with a sudden realization, before he gives me a suspicious look and the inexplicable sense of danger returns. Not as much as before, though, not by a long shot.

It's still so disturbing to see it being aimed at me, no matter that I know he'd never hurt me.

"Why aren't you surprised?" he demands. I'm confused. Isn't the answer obvious?

"I told you, I got this power four days ago, I've had time–" Sun-il cuts me off with an impatient gesture and I obligingly fall silent.

"That's not what I meant. I mean, why aren't you surprised that I'm not surprised by this?"

My confusion grows.

"You are surprised," I point out, wondering if shock is addling his thoughts.

The sense of danger vanishes as Sun-il raises his eyes towards the ceiling in a frustrated plea for strength, before he looks back at me with impatience. "Let me rephrase that in a way your weird brain can actually understand," he says with some actual annoyance. How rare. "Why aren't you surprised that I'm not asking how this is possible?"

Because he has a power as well– oh. Right, he hasn't actually told me that yet.

I open my mouth to say that I know he has a power as well, but then I take a moment to think about how that would make him react in his current mood. Probably make him even more frustrated. Maybe even a little freaked out.

I should probably begin by explaining how I know he has a power in the first place.

"You know how I've been glancing at the space above people's heads?" I decide to start with, the question reflexively making me glance at the text hovering above his own.

"I noticed," he deadpans in the most insulting way possible. "What does that have to do with you not being surprised?" he continues impatiently.

"I'm getting to that," I retort with the silent addiction of _so shut up and listen_.

Sun-il gives an annoyed look in return, even as his lips twitch with involuntary amusement. He keeps quiet.

I nod, satisfied with his reaction. I'd rather do this without interruptions, thank you very much.

"So the reason I'm doing that is because everyone has text floating above their head, though I'm the only one who can see it. The text contains a person's class, level, and their full name. You're level twenty-five. Every normal person I've seen has a level somewhere between one and ten. Maybe fifteen? Anyway, they're a lot lower than yours, so I was already pretty sure that you have a power as well. And your immediate acceptance of my own power is proof that you do. Am I wrong?" I finish with smug grin.

Sun-il stares back at me with an unreadable expression, making my grin falter. Did I say something wrong?

"...What exactly do you mean by, every normal person?" he asks while bracing himself like he's expecting something terrible to happen. Right, I haven't told him about this morning yet.

This is going to freak him out. A lot.

Best get it over with. Like ripping off a band-aid.

"This morning I got dragged into a fight between a guy named Hwan Sung-gon and–"

"You _what?_ " Sun-il actually yells while jumping to his feet. I stare up at him with astonishment. Yes, I expected him to freak out, but not like this, and definitely not just from mentioning the Black Summoner. Or is it because I got into a fight? That's always a surefire way to get Sun-il riled up. This is extreme even for that though, it really is.

"Jee-han, did you get in a fight with _the Black Demon?_ "

Ah, so it's because of the Black Summoner in particular. This is great news, it means that Sun-il understands what's going on.

"Black Summoner actually," I correct.

Sun-il lets out a strangled sound and smacks the back of my head.

| Physical Resistance has risen by 1!

The yelp I let out is more startled than hurt, one of my hands coming up to cradle the spot he hit out of pure surprise. "What was that for?" I demand. This was incredibly unexpected. It's rare for Sun-il to even jokingly hit me, normally I'm the one who assaults him.

"That's for being a moron!" he snaps while clenching his fists, looking like he wants to give me another smack. Or maybe shake me like I'm a disobedient dog. "Of all the– do you even understand– no, of course you don't," he finishes with a deep grimace, and clenches his eyes shut. He groans and blindly sits back down next to me, bringing up a hand to rub his forehead.

He's _really_ freaking out.

Sun-il lets out a tired sigh, before he clenches his jaw with determination and nods sharply. "Alright, I can handle this," he tries to convince himself. Badly so.

I open my mouth to tell him just that–

"Don't," Sun-il warns without opening his eyes. I close my mouth.

He's right. Now isn't the time to be acting childishly.

After a moment, Sun-il lets out another sigh and opens his eyes, giving me a hard look. "Tell me everything that happened this morning."

So I do. I tell him about the dungeon, the Black Summoner and the girl on fire, the fantasy creatures and defeating the Demon Slime. I don't spare a single detail.

Sun-il keeps quiet throughout my explanation, but his expression becomes more pained the longer I talk. More exasperated as well.

When I finish, he lets out a despairing groan and closes his eyes once more. He keeps quiet.

I shift in place, nervous with this reaction. I'm not used to him being quiet. Normally he's the one who needles me into talking. I understand why he's keeping quiet, this is a lot to process, but it still makes me uncomfortable. Not in the least because I don't like seeing him so upset.

This isn't a nice silence.

"So, what do you think?" I ask after I feel enough time has passed for him to process my story.

"I think you're a moron," Sun-il returns without missing a beat, eyes remaining closed. I roll my own in return, no matter that he can't see. His reaction already makes me feel better.

"Thank you so much for your compassion," I say in my most sarcastic voice. Sun-il chuckles softly and finally turns to face me again. He's still upset, but he's also calming down with every moment that passes.

"It's the truth. Who in their right mind runs towards mysterious howls instead of running away?" he argues with a faint but real grin.

"In my defense, I didn't expect to find a giant three-headed dog. Or the Black Summoner," I counter.

"What did you expect to find?" he retorts with a mockingly raised brow. I open my mouth to answer– I close it without saying anything. I... hadn't been expecting anything in particular, really. I was just curious.

Sun-il gives a nod like I've just proven his point for him. "Moron," he says in the same way he'd say that the sky is blue.

I punch the asshole's arm. Gently for once, because, well, he has a point. Not that I'd ever admit it out loud.

"Now do you understand why I need your help?" I return the subject to more important matters.

Sun-il lets out a bark of laughter, one that comes dangerously close to being hysterical. "Yeah, I do. I _really_ do," he emphasizes in the most insulting way possible. I roll my eyes, but I feel a smile grow as well. If he can still insult me, things are still fine.

Letting out a soft sigh, Sun-il brings up an arm around my shoulders and pulls me close, something that doesn't happen often. I'm not complaining, this is a situation that definitely calls for a hug.

I lean into him and close my eyes, enjoying his warmth.

"It's going to be alright," he assures both me and himself.

"Good to know," I tell him, meaning every word. When Sun-il says things are going to be alright, it's impossible not to believe him.

Silence falls. It's a nice silence.

Naturally, Sun-il breaks it.

"Seriously though, you're such a moron."

I blindly stomp down on the asshole's foot. Sun-il chuckles, the sound bright and real. My smile grows.

For the first time since the fight happened, I truly feel like there's nothing to worry about. Not anymore.

Not when I have my best friend with me.

* * *

 **AN:** I present: a divergence in canon.

Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it :)


	4. Chapter 4

After the worst of his freak out is over, I introduce Sun-il to the wonders of having an inventory with eternally fresh food. As expected, the food thing alone is more than enough to make him agree that my inventory is _amazing_.

The remaining time is spend with me excitedly explaining everything I've figured out about my power, Sun-il providing a running commentary of insults.

It makes me realize how weird I've been acting. The way I talk about my power is how I talk about my games, one of the only things I can go on about forever. Conversation about whatever I played the evening before is part of our daily routine, and I've been skipping it for days.

No wonder he noticed something was wrong.

I ask Sun-il about his own power and about what exactly is going on, but the asshole just gives a sunny smile and informs me that he'll explain after school. He doesn't even explain his class of Chunbumoon's Heir, though the shock he shows when I mention that particular detail is very satisfying.

Because Sun-il is being annoyingly mysterious, I don't tell him what his stats say. No matter how much he needles.

| Name: Shin Sun-il  
| Class: Chunbumoon's Heir  
| Title: One Who Endeavors  
| Job: Second Year High School Student  
| Race: Human  
| Gender: Male  
| Age: 18

| Level: 25 – Next Level: 83,51%  
| HP: 4000/4000  
| MP: 200/200

| STR: 41  
| VIT: 79  
| AGI: 50  
| INT: 21  
| WIS: 14  
| LUK: 25

Looking at his stats makes me realize that I still have a long way to go. Also, that's a ridiculous amount of health.

All in all, our conversation is kept surprisingly light. I honestly didn't expect that, not after Sun-il's freak out.

But then, Sun-il never freaks out for long. He just forces himself to calm down and starts thinking of ways to fix whatever issue is making him panic. I know that he's doing so right now as well, no matter that he doesn't tell me what he's planning. Yet.

His refusal to explain, well, anything, is incredibly annoying. I get that there isn't enough time to even begin explaining what's going on, his words, not mine, but it's still frustrating.

Another reason for his silence is that he's still struggling with all I've told him. Normal, it's a lot to take in.

His struggle is what convinces me to be patient. I can wait until after school for an explanation. I can. Especially when I won't have to go to cram school first. It's a stroke of luck that Teacher Kim is sick.

Of course, a large part of Sun-il's refusal to explain is also motivated by a desire to make me suffer for making him worry, because he's an asshole like that. I make my displeasure about this known, but there's no real heat behind it.

If he wants to act like everything's normal, I'll oblige. It's the least I can do.

The way he keeps suppressing worry and fear makes me realize that this entire situation is even more serious than I thought it was. And I already thought that it's dead serious, given that my own life is at stake.

Heh. Dead serious.

I demonstrate all my options, as well as Observe and Fool's Act to him. That last makes Sun-il burst into laughter, and I can't help but join in myself. It really is a hilarious skill.

I don't demonstrate Power Strike because there's nothing around that I can hit. Well, there is, but I don't want to risk breaking anything. I know from previous experimentation that Power Strike can crack stone.

Sun-il actually has the nerve to suggest I use it on him, but mysterious power and extreme health or not, that's not something I will ever do. Sure, I assault him all the time, but those aren't real attacks. Not like Power Strike would be.

My response makes Sun-il give a patronizing smile. _It's cute how you think you're actually capable of hurting me._

I punch the asshole's arm, the normal way.

It really is amazing how casual Sun-il is being about this, no matter that it's mostly done on purpose. The only time he can't keep it up is when I tell him about my Gamer's Mind, and even that is soon disguised with a sunny smile and an insult to my intelligence.

I kick his leg and am glad for how it turns his smile real.

On the flip side, when I tell Sun-il about my Gamer's Body, he's overwhelmed by relief. Then he mocks me for having needed to check the skill screen to realize that my body has changed so much.

I kick his leg again.

When lunch ends, we go back to class. As lessons continue, it's almost like nothing has changed.

Almost.

* * *

After school, Sun-il calls home to let his family know he'll be at my place, giving the excuse of studying. As expected, his grandfather doesn't approve in the slightest, though he does give permission. Eventually. After strongly making his displeasure known. And admonishing Sun-il and me for deciding to spend an entire evening together without warning.

It's not that Sun-il and I don't hang out after school, usually we spend one or two evenings together during the week, and we also meet up at least once during the weekend. It's just that we always plan the dates at least a week in advance. We have to, Sun-il has a ridiculously full schedule. His family runs a prestigious dojo, and for as long as I've known him, Sun-il has been expected to train every single day. Alongside studying for school and being taught how to manage the dojo itself, given that he's expected to take over after his grandfather retires.

I honestly can't see his grandfather ever retiring. His grandfather might be old, but he moves like he has the body of someone half his age.

...Now that I know that Sun-il has a power, this fact is cast in an entirely new light. Also, does his family have powers as well? Probably. It would definitely explain their weird eyes and hair.

But I won't ask about that yet. Instead, we banter about the things I Observe about random people. Mostly about their classes and titles, those things are really interesting and often reveal quite a lot.

I still don't tell Sun-il what his own stats are, no matter how much he pries.

By the time we reach my house, Observe has risen to level five.

"I'm home," I call out as we enter and pull off our shoes.

"Welcome back," Mom calls from the living room like usual.

"Sun-il's with me," I say as we enter the living room. Mom is seated on the couch, watching a drama. I can't help but glance at her text, a little uneasy as always.

| –?–  
| LV? Han Jung-sook

Mom turns to face us and looks at Sun-il with what I'm pretty sure is suspicion. "What are _you_ doing here?"

Her hostile demand makes me blink, surprised. This is unusual. Even more unusual than me inviting Sun-il over unplanned. Mom... well, she doesn't exactly like Sun-il, but she doesn't dislike him either. Which is the best anyone can hope for, really. The only people Mom likes are me and Dad.

"Good afternoon, Mrs Han. I was graciously invited over by your wonderful daughter," Sun-il says with his most charming smile. He's laying it on thick, but given Mom's unusual reaction, that's not a bad thing to do.

Or rather, normally it wouldn't be. This time it is, because Mom _glares_.

Sun-il flinches, his smile gone as he snaps to attention. I too feel a cold shiver run down my back, no matter that her glare isn't aimed at me. Mom is terrifying.

"Jee-han asked for help with studying. She needs me to explain some things," Sun-il lies convincingly through the use of a partial truth.

Naturally, Mom doesn't buy it. As evidenced by her glare becoming even more terrifying.

Sun-il bravely stands his ground. Like a soldier facing a fire squad.

I can't help but shift my weight, uncomfortable with this sudden standoff. My movement makes Mom shift her gaze towards me, and while her glare disappears, her thoughtful look is just as unnerving, if in a different way. I can't help but feel like she knows exactly what's going on.

After a moment that feels far longer than it actually is, Mom's returns to watching her drama as though nothing out of the ordinary just happened.

"Don't make too much noise," she orders, giving permission for Sun-il to stay.

"We won't," I promise, thanking her for her permission. "He'll be staying for dinner as well?" I ask, my voice coming out more tentative than planned. Usually it wouldn't even be a question, but her reaction has made me uncertain.

"We're having tofu stew," Mom replies without looking our way, making Sun-il's lips twitch with disgust. He hates tofu with a passion. I stare at Mom with astonishment.

She _really_ doesn't want Sun-il to stay. But she won't send him away, the choice is up to me. Mom is just informing me of her own preference to have him gone as soon as possible, an incredibly rare occurrence. While Mom doesn't particularly like Sun-il, she loves me and wants me to be happy. Sun-il is good at making me happy. As a rule, that means Mom doesn't just tolerate his presence, she's even the slightest bit accommodating. Which is why her making tofu is such a shock.

If this were a normal situation, I would've respected her wishes and sent him away.

This isn't a normal situation.

"Sounds good," I say, letting her know that he's staying. Mom doesn't react of course, but Sun-il's lips twitch with disgust once more. Fortunately, he doesn't offer an opinion about Mom's choice for dinner. Then again, he's known her long enough to know how that would be received.

I'm about to move towards the stairs when I hesitate, struck by a sudden burst of inspiration yet unsure if I really want to go through with it. When Sun-il raises a questioning brow, I decide to go through with it.

"Observe," I breathe out.

| Name: Han Jung-sook  
| Class: ?  
| Title: ?  
| Job: ?  
| Race: ?  
| Gender: ?  
| Age: ?

| Level: ?  
| HP: ?  
| MP: ?

| STR: ?  
| VIT: ?  
| AGI: ?  
| INT: ?  
| WIS: ?  
| LUK: ?

How helpful. Should've guessed it wouldn't be that easy.

Sun-il and I go upstairs and enter my room. The moment I close the door behind us, he lets out a genuine sigh of relief, before shaking his head with wry amusement.

"Your mom is terrifying," he declares as he does every time he comes over. I nod with complete agreement.

She really is.

I sit down my bed and cross my legs, my skirt more than long enough to ensure it isn't an indecent pose. Sun-il drops his backpack down the floor, sits down my chair, and rolls himself across the floor until he's right in front of me. I give him an expectant look, excitement rising now that I'm finally going to get an explanation.

Except Sun-il lets out a deep breath and tilts back his head. He keeps quiet.

I give him five seconds to start talking.

He doesn't start talking. I scowl.

"Well?" I demand impatiently.

"Give me a moment, I'm trying to think of where to begin," he returns without looking away from the ceiling.

"You've had hours to do that," I point out, unimpressed.

"Exactly," he replies like I agreed that isn't enough time by far. I roll my eyes, but decide to give him ten more seconds.

Just as my mental countdown reaches zero, Sun-il lets out another heavy breath, before he meets my gaze, focused and intense. The very air seems to become heavier, and I'm once more struck by the seriousness of this situation.

My curiosity is at an all time high.

"This world is divided into two part," Sun-il begins. "There's the part you already know, the normal world, filled with school, studying, politics, all those things. Then there's the Abyss." I can actually feel the weight behind the term. "The Abyss is the supernatural side of the world. The part where people with abilities live."

I give him an unimpressed look. Aside from the name, he isn't telling me anything I haven't already figured out for myself. Well, I didn't know that there are enough people with powers to have an entire separate world, but still. Not exactly new information.

"Don't be impatient, I'm giving you a crash course of the fundamentals. You're a noob, after all," Sun-il mocks. I bite down on my habitual retort and gesture for him to get on with it.

Sun-il's lips twitch with amusement, but he obligingly continues. "People with abilities can be roughly divided into two categories. The first are people like you, called naturals. Just as the name implies, naturals have a natural ability, each as unique as the individual it belongs to, and one that can't be taught to others. However, naturals are rare, forming maybe ten percent of all users. All other uses acquire their abilities through training. Still with me so far?"

"There's a magical side to the world that normal people don't know about, there are different forms of magic, some people naturally have powers and others have to train to get them," I summarize with an unimpressed look. "I'm not an idiot."

"But you are a moron, so I thought it best to check," Sun-il shoots back with a sunny smile. I roll my eyes. If he were closer, I would've hit him. As it is, the only reason I don't kick him is because I would need to uncross my legs to do that, and my position is too comfortable to ruin by moving.

"So naturals are born with their ability?" I ask, refocusing on the important things.

"Being a natural doesn't necessarily mean being born with an ability," Sun-il explains, and is kind enough to elaborate without further prompting. "True, it can be because of genetics, a particular celestial alignment when conceived, things like that. But it's rare for that to happen. Most of the time naturals get their ability when a traumatic experience stresses a talent to abnormal heights, or when a ritual goes wrong, when they get permanently cursed or blessed, there are a lot of possible reasons, really. And sometimes there doesn't seem to be a reason at all. Sometimes people just wake up one day with an ability," Sun-il finishes with a wry smile, clearly believing that's what happened to me. I ignore it as I mull over this information.

While Sun-il said that it's possible to get an ability at random, I find it hard to believe that's what happened to me. It just doesn't feel right. Not in the least because of Mom's mystery stats. The explanation of genetics sound a lot more plausible.

If it is genetic, does that mean Mom has the same power as me? No wait, Sun-il said that all natural abilities are unique. So she has a different power?

Is the cause even genetics? Or is it because of something else entirely?

"Some people believe that naturals who gain an ability with no explainable reason are chosen by the planet itself." Sun-il's statement pulls me out of my thoughts.

The planet itself? What does he mean by that?

Sun-il answers my silent question without verbal prompting. "It's a common belief among users that the planet is... conscious. Well, sort of conscious. When people get an ability without an obvious reason, the cause is usually laid with Gaia. The planet, I mean."

"What do you mean, it's conscious?" I ask the first thing that pops in my mind, not really knowing how to react to this information. It's one thing to discover there's a hidden side to the world, another thing entirely to be told that the planet itself is conscious. It isn't uncommon lore in a game, but being told that it actually applies to the real world is just... bizarre, to say the least.

Sun-il frowns, apparently uncertain on how to answer. "It's... difficult to explain."

I raise an unimpressed brow. He can't just spring something like that on me and then leave it at that.

Sun-il realizes this as well. "I'm serious, it's incredibly difficult to explain, and the explanation varies depending on what principles you believe in. But the most important reason for the belief is because of what's known as the Interference Law." Once more, I can feel the weight. "The Interference Law means that when you use an ability in the normal world on a large scale, Gaia kills you."

I snort, inadvertently amused. My amusement vanishes as Sun-il gives me a hard look.

Oh. That wasn't a joke.

"The planet kills you?" I ask uneasily, because, just, what?

Sun-il's expression tightens in a way that lets me know he's absolutely serious about this. "It does. And when you trigger the Law, you die. No matter what."

The message hits even harder for how matter of fact it's delivered.

"How?" I demand. How is that possible? How can the planet itself kill you?

How can I make sure it never happens to me?

"In essence? Gaia curses you with lethal bad luck. A car accident, a gas leak, being struck by lightning, things like that. The longer you avoid getting killed, the more she tries to destroy you. You can use every trick there is to protect yourself and it won't matter in the slightest. You can bury yourself beneath wards and you'll just choke to death after taking a sip of water, or something equally ridiculous. You _can't_ stop Gaia from killing you. The only thing you can do is make sure you _never_ trigger the Law in the first place," he warns fiercely.

"How do I prevent it from triggering?" Clearly, that's the most important thing about this Interference Law by far.

Sun-il sighs and brings up a hand to rub his forehead, the weariness he's been struggling with since lunch breaking through. "It's... complicated."

"Then uncomplicate it," I snap. Honestly, he can't just say something like that and then leave it at _it's complicated_.

"Fine, don't use your ability on normals," Sun-il snaps back, before he tilts his head back with a groan, annoyed at his own reaction.

I blink with confusion. That's ridiculous. For one, I've been Observing everyone in sight this entire day. For another, Sun-il actively encouraged me to do so.

"Sorry, I'm... stressed," Sun-il apologizes.

"I hadn't noticed," I shoot back in the most deadpan way I can, and I'm glad that it makes him smile, small but real. He doesn't start talking again, though.

"You said abilities had to be used on a large scale for the Interference Law to activate?" I prompt.

"Yes, but what qualifies as a large scale is... fuzzy. I'll explain in more detail later," he says as I open my mouth to demand just that. I close my mouth. "That said, the general rule is that if you do something that counts as visible magic in front of normals, you're starting to enter the fuzzy area. Self-defense is fine of course, and as long as not too many people notice anything unusual, Gaia won't interfere. But just make a habit of not using your ability outside of illusion barriers. It's the best way to ensure you don't trigger the Law."

Is that why Sun-il hid his own ability from me? I... really hope so. That would be a reason I can accept without difficulty.

Hearing him speak about magic as though it's the most normal thing in the world makes me realize just how much he's been keeping secret from me.

The realization hurts.

"What are illusion barriers?" I ask instead of tackling that particular topic. Information first, personal issues after.

Sun-il's becomes confused, but it's almost instantly replaced by realization. "Right, noob," he reminds himself, before falling silent once more.

I let out an irritated sigh and give him a look that means _I'm trying to be patient, I really am. But if you don't start talking soon, I'll make you and you won't like it_.

Sun-il replies with a patronizing smile. _Aww, it's like watching a kitten that thinks it's a lion_.

I give some serious consideration to uncrossing my legs so I can kick him.

Sun-il chuckles. "It's–"

"If you say it's complicated, I will kick you," I warn.

"It's complicated," Sun-il immediately replies with a sunny smile.

I uncross my legs and kick the asshole's leg. Sun-il grins.

"But seriously, it is kind of complicated," he apologizes with the truth.

"So uncomplicate it," I return calmly, accepting his apology.

"Easier said than done," Sun-il says and falls silent. Again.

I decide to give him a moment to order his thoughts. But only a moment.

...Time is almost up.

"The entire world is filled with ambient energy," Sun-il finally begins, and I bite back the question of what that has to do with whatever illusion barriers are. A wise decision, seeing as he continues explaining. "Illusions barriers, the most basic ones at least, are... reflections of the real world. By using your own energy as an anchor for the energy around you, you force it to take on the form of whatever environment you're in. In many ways, it's not an illusion, everything has the same characteristics as whatever it's based on. But it's not real either, it's all made out of pure energy. Energy masquerading as matter, but that doesn't change its nature. Most importantly, illusion barriers allows users to utilize their ability to the fullest without worrying about the Interference Law."

Huh. That's incredibly interesting. It also explains why this morning all the damage from the fight disappeared when the dungeon– illusion barrier, I suppose, shattered.

Also, Sun-il is right, it does sound complicated. How are you even supposed to use your own energy as an anchor? Or force the energy around you to become a reflection? How big are these barriers? What about other people near the one who creates it? Do they get pulled into the barrier as well, or does that need to be done on purpose?

Can I make illusion barriers?

"Can I make illusion barriers?" I decide to ask first, and feel a rush of excitement when Sun-il nods a confirmation.

"Of course, every user can. Well, you can make basic ones at least, I don't know if you're capable of more advanced forms."

What advanced forms? But first.

"Can you show me?"

Sun-ll's smile becomes fixed in a way that says he _really_ didn't want to. I'm confused. Is this something I'm not supposed to ask?

Before I can ask, Sun-il says "Sure," and lifts his hand palm up–

The world shifts.

Unlike this morning, there are no obvious differences, no vanishing cars or people. Even so, everything has become subtly... off.

It's the lack of sound, I realize. Not that it was noisy before, but this Seoul. There's always background noise. Noise that only becomes noticeable when it disappears.

I jump off the bed and race towards the window, looking outside with fascination. Sure enough, outside is a ghost town, no traffic or pedestrians as far as the eye can see. The lack is even more noticeable because of the hour. I feel a huge grin grow.

"You have got to teach me how to do that," I say as I turn around– my grin falters.

Sun-il is trying to look casual and he's doing a pretty good job of it, but to me it's obvious that he's uncomfortable and reluctant. In fact, he's even a little... afraid? What? Why?

What's wrong?

"It's not hard to do," he says before I can ask, and it's clear that he's avoiding–

Oh.

"You just–"

"You don't want to tell me about your power," I interrupt, unable to understand how I didn't see it before now. This whole time, during his entire explanation, Sun-il hasn't mentioned anything about his own ability. He's been purposely avoiding the subject by turning my attention to other things instead.

Sun-il falls silent, becoming even more discomforted and reluctant. It doesn't just confirm his avoidance, it makes me realize that it isn't just his power he doesn't want to talk about, it goes so much deeper than that.

He doesn't want to tell me how he knows all this. Doesn't want to tell me why he kept it a secret.

Sun-il's expression falls. "Jee-han, it's not like that," he says urgently as he gets to his feet and moves closer. I cross my arms and stubbornly lift my chin, ruthlessly resisting the stinging of my eyes. I'm not going to cry, that would be ridiculous. And it would make me feel even worse than I already do.

Sun-il winces and moves his hands in a way that says he doesn't know what to do with them. "I don't... It's..."

"Complicated?" I snap more venomous than intended, but I don't take it back.

My best friend has been lying to me for who knows how long. That's painful enough all on its own, but to discover that he doesn't even want to explain why he did it?

It hurts. So much.

Doesn't he trust me?

Sun-il grimaces, and while it's clear that he doesn't want to hurt me, it's just as clear that he still doesn't want to talk about this. Still doesn't want to explain.

"Haven't you been lying to me for long enough already?" I demand, growing more angry with every moment that passes.

"I never lied to you," Sun-il snaps back, actually having the nerve to become a little indignant. I'm not the one who _lied_. "I just... didn't tell you everything," he finishes lamely.

Wow, that makes me feel so much better.

Sun-il winces. "It's not you, it's me."

Really? Asshole.

Sun-il lets out strangled sound. "My entire family are users, we're known as the Chunbumoon Clan," he rushes out, anxious and agitated. I bite back another angry retort with difficulty. I'll give him one last chance to explain.

He does.

"We have power and influence in the Abyss, Seoul is our territory. I'm the heir, and that means everyone has these expectations of me. I'm a grandson and the heir, brother and the heir, cousin and the heir, apprentice _and the heir_. But when I'm with you, I'm your best friend and nothing else, and... I know it's irrational, I _know_ , but..." Sun-il trails off, not knowing what else to say and begging me to understand.

There's only one appropriate reaction to this.

I gently punch the asshole's arm.

"Idiot," I accuse fondly, can't help it. This is far from the first time that Sun-il has said something like this. Not in these exact words, but the sentiment is one I'm familiar with.

Sun-il loves his family more than anything else in the world, but sometimes, just sometimes, he feels suffocated by them. By their constant expectations. When that happens, he comes to me, either to rant about it, or to kick the virtual crap out of each other in an epic tournament of whatever my latest fighting game is. Most of the time it's both.

Oh. He really didn't lie to me. He just didn't tell me all the details.

He told me about the things that matter.

Just like that, my hurt and anger fades away, and I forgive the asshole for being annoyingly mysterious.

"I thought I was an asshole," Sun-il returns with a tentative smile.

"That too," I assure him, because he really is.

Sun-il's smile grows, yet he keeps being uncertain as well. "I know it's irrational, but..." He shrugs, and the gesture tells me everything I need to know. _But I'm still afraid that this will change things between us, afraid that you'll look at me differently. I'm afraid that you'll treat me differently._

 _I don't want you to treat me differently_.

"We survived getting through puberty. If we can get through that, we can get through anything," I say, meaning every word. Puberty was a nightmare, on both our parts. Once, it even came dangerously close to ruining our friendship. But we managed to get through it.

Next to that, even something like this is nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

Sun-il grins with relief at my assurance that I still consider him my best friend. Which, obviously. Just because I was mad at him doesn't mean I'd throw away all our years of friendship. Honestly, Sun-il can be insecure about the most ridiculous things at times. At least he's aware of it.

"That's true. You were so annoying back then," he teases, almost giddy with relief. I gently punch his arm, more of a tap than anything else.

"Says the guy who lorded being taller than me for over a year," I shoot back with a smile.

Sun-il answers with a look of mock innocence. "Only because you wouldn't shut up about it when you first became taller than me."

So? Besides, I knew from the beginning that being taller than Sun-il was going to be a temporary thing. Of course I had to get the most out of it.

"Now that we've established that you're an idiot, will you _finally_ explain what your power is?" I demand, getting things back on track. My previous curiosity has returned with a vengeance now that I'm no longer angry.

"Not curious about my clan?" Sun-il ask in a light voice. As though the question isn't fueled by the irrational insecurity he apparently still can't let go of.

I roll my eyes. "Stop stalling and show me your power, asshole." Really, the fact that his entire family is magical, while very interesting, is far less intriguing than his own mystery ability. I can ask about his family later.

Sun-il grins. "How can I refuse when you ask so nicely?" he quips while taking a step closer to the wall. I feel like vibrating with anticipation and start bouncing on my heels a little.

Finally.

"Unlike you, I'm an acquired user," he feels the need to delay yet again, and a noise of pure frustration escapes me.

"Sun-il, _stop stalling_ ," I order with a glare.

"So impatient," he mocks.

I punch his arm. This time it isn't gentle.

It makes Sun-il chuckle, and I feel my own lips curve into an involuntary smile in return, even as I keep giving him a glare that tells him to get on with it.

"Remember, all the damage done inside an illusion barrier doesn't affect the real world," he says. I'm about to order him to stop stalling yet again, but then Sun-il makes a fist and punches the wall.

He punches through it.

I gape as he pulls his fist out of the hole he just created. He just punched through stone like it's made of paper!

That's _amazing_.

"I know," Sun-il replies to my silent exclamation with a far too smug smile. For once, I don't comment on it.

"How did you _do_ that?" I demand instead. My awe makes Sun-il grin, proud and pleased.

"Basically, I use ki to enhance my body to superhuman levels," he explains while I bend forward to peer through the hole outside.

This is unbelievable. While I knew intellectually that Sun-il has magic, seeing him use it is mind boggling. Even more than seeing the Black Summoner and the girl on fire. Partly because this time I don't have to fear for my life, but mostly it's because of the sheer weirdness of seeing my best friend use _magic_.

Words cannot describe how awesome this is.

"Ki?" I ask while returning my gaze towards him.

"Energy drawn from the spirit. Everyone has it, but you have to train for years in order to be able to use it," he explains. I raise an incredulous brow. Energy drawn from the spirit? As in, the soul?

"You actually draw energy from your soul?" That sounds incredibly dangerous.

Wait, does that mean my own ability is powered by my soul as well?

"Spirit, not soul. There's a difference," Sun-il corrects with unexpected heat. Apparently this is an important distinction. I make a mental note to ask about that later.

First of all.

"Show me what else you can do," I demand while bouncing on my heels, giddy with the wonder of it all. Unlike this morning, I can fully bask in it without any distractions like worrying about my survival.

Sun-il grins, before he spins on his heel and kicks the wall.

The entire wall explodes.

My jaw drops, eyes as wide as they can go as I look at where the wall had been not even a moment before. Now it's nothing more than rubble strown outside.

Wow!

"Do something else!" I demand with a huge grin, practically hopping in place.

"Do this, do that. What am I, your servant?" Sun-il mocks, but his smile is just as bright as I feel. I punch his arm on habit. He chuckles, before his eyes gain a mischievous glint and he leans towards me conspiratorially. "Watch this."

He places a foot on the edge of the destroyed wall and he _jumps_.

I hear myself gasp with wonder as I watch Sun-il flip through the air like gravity is optional, easily clearing my house and then some. It doesn't look like he jumped.

Sun-il looks like he's flying.

It suddenly hits me that this entire thing does change things between us. Before, he was my best friend and an asshole. Now, he's my best friend and an asshole who has _magic_.

"Do it again!" I yell after Sun-il lands down the street with ridiculous ease, as though he did nothing more than hop off a fence.

With a grin, he does just that, once more flipping through the air in a way that would make any acrobat weep with envy. I laugh with delight.

In many ways, it's impossible for things not to change between us. In all the ways that matter, everything is still the same.

And in some ways, things are more amazing than I could've ever imagined they'd be.

* * *

 **AN:** Look at all the headcanon I put in there. I ain't even sorry X3

As always, hope you enjoyed!


	5. Chapter 5

At my enthusiastic demand, Sun-il spends quite some time showing off.

It's _amazing_. No graphics can ever come close to the things he shows me.

Sun-il isn't just superhumanly strong, he's superhumanly fast as well, capable of moving at speeds that turn him in a literal blur. He can even move faster than the eye can see! And while I've always known that he has an incredible sense of balance, I now discover that it's just as absurd as his strength and speed.

Sun-il can perform a handstand by balancing on his _thumb_.

Not to mention that his body is ridiculously tough. He destroys most of my house– well, the reflection of it, with his bare hands, punching and kicking through solid stone, yet he doesn't have a single scratch on him! Which leads to the following realization.

"Wait a minute. If you're so tough, why do you wince whenever I hit you hard enough? Clearly it's not because it hurts."

The asshole's response?

"Of course it doesn't hurt, why do you think I find your 'attacks' so amusing? But they're good practice. You do realize that it would be noticeable if I don't show pain to things like that, right? Your pathetic strikes helped teach me how to blend in."

I punch his arm, hard. Sun-il pointedly doesn't wince, just gives a patronizing smile.

On the bright side, I never again have to worry about accidentally hurting him. Not that I do that often, but sometimes I wondered. Given how we met, it's always seemed normal to hit him, but occasionally I do realize that I'm, well, _hitting_ him.

Of course, whenever I feel like that and try to adjust my behavior, Sun-il deliberately provokes me until I hit him again. Now that I know about his powers, that behavior is a lot less masochistic than I always assumed it was.

I also learn that Sun-il has been superhuman for as long as I've known him. Not at his current level, but he's always been more physically capable than should be possible. Why?

He's been learning how to use ki since the moment he started to toddle. Sun-il's family are firm believers in _you're never too young to learn_.

Looking back, I can see it too. When we were kids, Sun-il utterly trounced me in every physical game we played, like hide-and-seek or tag. It didn't seem unusual back then, and as I grew older, I never gave his skills much thought. Sun-il has always been incredibly strong and incredibly fast. It's just the way thing are.

Of course, another part of the reason that I didn't notice is because he's gotten better at hiding his superhuman abilities as he grew older. Yet with this new information, I look back at some of the stunts he pulled off when we were kids and realize that normal children wouldn't be able to do those things.

It makes me grasp the sheer scale of Sun-il's control. I've always know that he's potentially dangerous, he's a kickass martial artist after all. Now, however, his restraint becomes even more impressive. In all the time I've known him, Sun-il has never accidentally hurt someone. Even when sparring or when competing in a tournament, he doesn't do more than cause some spectacular bruises or bad sprains at worst.

Given that he can punch through stone like it's made out of paper, that really is an amazing accomplishment.

After finishing his show, Sun-il breaks the illusion barrier, turning the ruins he created back into a house. Or rather, transporting us back to the real world. He's taken care not to completely destroy the reflection of my room, seeing as we had to be standing in it when he broke the barrier. It would be difficult to explain to Mom how we got outside when, from her point of view, we never left my room.

The main reason we leave the barrier is because Sun-il has gotten hungry. Of course he has. I offer him something from his inventory, but I'm told that all the food in it combined won't be enough to sate his appetite.

I give him a disbelieving look. While I'm used to Sun-il's monster appetite, this is extreme even for him.

As it turns out, performing superhuman feats burns through energy like nothing else. That's apparently the main reason why he always carries a stash of energy bars around in his bag, to refuel after using his power.

His power also explains how Sun-il can eat so much without ever gaining an ounce of fat. He isn't skinny, every part of him is pure muscle. He does have a lean build though, more like that of a runner than a fighter. However, even for someone who trains every single day, Sun-il consumes a ridiculous amount of calories.

He also has a _disgusting_ sweet tooth. Not that there's anything wrong with liking sweet things, but Sun-il takes it to a whole new level. Sometimes I think he'd be happy just eating raw sugar.

In between consuming energy bars, Sun-il explains more about ki and what it is. It involves a lot of philosophical concepts and a surprising amount of biology, though not the kind I'm used to. Sun-il talks about "pathways" and "inner gates" like they're unquestionably proven concepts.

As it turns out, they are. While science can't detect these things, magic can.

In all honesty, I don't get most of it. What I end up taking away from his explanation is that ki is a sort of physical manifestation of spiritual energy, that all humans and animals possess it, and that breathing is key to controlling it. Oh, and that plants have ki as well, but it's a different kind. Sun-il does try to explain the difference, but it just flies over my head. Still, I feel like I understand the most important facts.

When I inform him of this, he lets out such a resigned sigh. "Well, I suppose that's the best I'm going to get."

"Not my fault you suck at explaining things," I counter.

Sun-il gives a look of mock pity. "You mean it isn't your fault that you were born a moron. You have my deepest condolences."

I kick his leg.

Conversation then turns to Sun-il's family, the Chunbumoon Clan. Who his grandfather is the head of. Shocker.

What is unexpected, is that Sun-il isn't the heir because of his relation to the current head. Well, it isn't the most important factor. The most important factor is that Sun-il has a strong talent for sensing ki, and that means he's capable of manipulating his own to a far greater degree than normal. This turns the conversation towards the difference between a talent and an ability.

"Training, mostly. For example, someone with a talent for water manipulation will have an easier time learning most forms of water magics, but they still need to train to be able to use it. When they learn how to use it, however, their talent turns into an ability."

"So a talent is passive and an ability is active?" I summarize.

"Not exactly."

The main difference between a talent and a fully fledged ability, is that a talent only has minor effects at most when untrained. In Sun-il's case, he would've been sensing ki no matter what, but the clarity of it would've been a mere fraction of what he can now sense. He also would've been manipulating his own ki unconsciously to boost his body.

Yet while that unconscious use would've made him stronger and faster than he looks, it wouldn't have been superhuman in a _too_ obvious way.

"Kind of like Teacher Do."

"Wait, what?"

Which is how I discover that Teacher Do has a talent. A very strong one.

This explains so much.

Sun-il can't tell what kind of talent it, only that it isn't ki-related and that it's exceptionally strong. When I ask how he knows this, he explains that talents of any kind affect a person's ki in a variety of ways. And, in his own words, Sun-il is exceptional at sensing ki.

"Want me to get a needle to burst your ego?" I ask in my most dry voice.

"That would require you to be able to pierce it," he counters with a patronizing smile. "Pathetic strikes, remember?"

I punch his arm.

Joking aside, Sun-il isn't bragging. Well, not exactly. When he speaks of his proficiency in sensing ki, he's mostly matter of fact. Or rather, he's proud of his skill, but not to the point of arrogance. As evidenced by him stating that while he's great at sensing ki, he sucks at sensing other kinds of energy.

"It's a consequence of being wired to sense ki in particular."

"If that's the excuse you need to feel better, who am I to judge?" I return with my kindest smile.

"It's not an excuse, it's the truth," Sun-il tries to defend himself.

I answer with a look that means _sure, you keep telling yourself that_ , before asking about the differences between the ki of normal people and magical ones.

"Normal ki falls within a very narrow range. It's easy to tell when someone has a talent, and the stronger it is, the easier it becomes. Though determining whether it's trained or not is more tricky. Most of the time it's their behavior that reveals if they're an untrained talent or a weak user."

Really, specifying that they're weak?

"Way to sound like a condescending ass," I point out.

"I'm just stating facts," Sun-il returns without a shred of shame. "Weak users and strong but untrained talents fall within the same spectrum of ki, while powerful users fall within another. Sure, there's some overlap, but for the most part it's easy to determine the difference. Though of course there are always exceptions. Like you."

Me?

"What's that supposed to mean?" I demand.

"It means that until today, I thought you were a strong talent," Sun-il replies with a sunny smile as though there's nothing unusual about this information. "According to your ki, you still are."

What.

Which is how I discover that for as long as I've known him, Sun-il has known that I have magic. Or rather, that I have the potential for it. I have no idea how to feel about that, but I know what to do.

I punch the asshole's arm as hard as I can. Sun-il winces on what I now understand is pure habit.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Seriously, this isn't something he's supposed to keep to himself!

Sun-il answers with a look that means _see, only a moron would ask that_.

I roll my eyes. "I don't mean before today, but why didn't you tell me this first?"

"I decided to wait until the conversation allowed me to naturally work it in," he says in a tone that means _aren't I considerate?_

I reply with a deeply unimpressed look. _No. No, you are not_.

Wait a minute.

"What about Mom?" I demand harshly, because if Mom has an ability and Sun-il knows but hasn't told me, I'll... well, I don't know what I'll do, or even how I'll feel, but it won't be pretty. I know that's irrational, I just don't care in the slightest.

This is about my _mom_.

"What about her?"

The good news is, Mom's ki is normal. The bad news is, Mom's ki is normal, making her mystery stats even more confusing.

I remember that I haven't actually explained her mystery stats to him yet when Sun-il asks why I'm so worked up about this. So I tell him.

His reaction isn't exactly helpful.

"Most likely it's just because she's your mom. Blood relation often influences abilities in strange ways, and the closer the relation, the greater the effect."

While I agree that this is a possibility, I can't help but feel that isn't the reason. Not when Mom is the only one with mystery stats.

"First, you haven't Observed that many people yet, and aside from me, they've all been normals or untrained talents," Sun-il counters my argument. "Second, the fact that she's the only one is a point in favor of it being caused by her being your mom."

After once more expressing my doubt about this, I decide to put this issue out of my mind until Dad gets home from his business trip. If he has mystery stats as well, I'll probably be able to accept that it's because of our blood relation instead of something else.

Of course, given that Dad won't be home for another two months, there's a good chance I'll lose patience before then and confront Mom about her stats. But I'll deal with that when it happens. Until then, it's pointless to worry about it.

I ask Sun-il about Dad's ki as well, but just like Mom, his ki is completely normal.

We decide to change the subject. I'm not surprised in the slightest by the one Sun-il choses to replace it with.

"Speaking of stats, what are mine?" he oh so casually asks. I grin.

"To tell or not to tell," I muse.

"You do realize I can stop explaining things whenever I want to," Sun-il warns, a little annoyed at my continuing refusal to spill. I chuckle and decide to be nice.

I tell him what his stats are. Sun-il wonders whether they're good or not, and admittedly, I do too. Though seeing as I haven't Observed any users besides him yet, we can't exactly determine the answer. So after he mocks my own _comparatively_ low stats and I hit him again, the conversation returns to his family.

That's when Sun-il tells me that his family can trace their ancestry back to the actual Dangun. As in, the demi-god from legend who supposedly founded the kingdom that would eventually become the Republic of Korea.

"You mean the legends are real?" I demand incredulously.

They are and aren't. The Interference Law means that there's always been a large degree of separation between the normal world and the Abyss, though the severity depends on both the time period and location. This separation also means that although most legends hold a grain of truth, they become more and more twisted throughout history as well.

"But Dangun really was a demigod?" I have to ask, because if that's the case, it also means that Sun-il is descended from an actual _god_.

"Yes," Sun-il confirms casually, blowing my mind all over again. "Though his mother was a user who could transform into a bear, not a bear who was transformed into a human," he adds with a grin, enjoying my reaction.

"Seriously? The gods are really real?" I have to ask, needing to hear the confirmation out loud. Discovering that magic is real is one thing, discovering that the gods are as well is something else entirely.

" _Everything_ is real," Sun-il emphasizes, smiling but completely serious at the same time. "Gods, demons, ghosts, golems, fairies, shapeshifters, witches, shamans, and so much more. If you can imagine it, there's good odds that it either exists or has existed somewhere in the world."

That's _amazing_.

Wait, if everything is real...

"Do dragons exist?" I demand with rising glee, because that would be the most awesome thing ever. Everything's better with dragons, after all.

"Yes, Jee-han, dragons exists," Sun-il confirms with a fond smile instead of pointing out that he just said that every possible creature exists.

"That's so cool!" I exclaim. Sun-il chuckles.

On another note.

"If all magic is real, how can people not know about it?" Yes, I get that the Interference Law prevents magicians from showing off their power, but still. How can no one know about it? Or at least know about magical creatures.

It turns out that most magical creatures, and most users for that matter, permanently reside inside illusion barriers, or even on entirely different planes of existence altogether. More advanced illusion barriers aren't reflections, they're environments easily the size of a city. Huge pocket dimensions scattered throughout the world, kept secret from normal people.

As for divine and diabolical beings, they exist in, well, heaven and hell. Or rather, the closest things to those concepts. There are many different versions, it all depends on where you are in the world. And while some of them form the afterlife, others don't.

"You can actually end up in heaven or hell after you die?" I ask with fascination, and some worry as well.

I can actually end up in hell if I'm a bad person? Not that I'm a bad person, but still. Hell is a real option?

"Yes," Sun-il confirms like it's the most normal thing in the world. "Though what happens to someone after they die depends on a lot of factors, including personal belief, as well as how and where you die. It's complicated."

Of course it is.

"I'm really starting to hate that phrase," I tell him, meaning every word.

"Get used to it," Sun-il returns without even a hint of pity. "I've been learning about this my entire life, and I've only covered a fraction of what's out there."

"Is that why your grades are so bad?" Well, they're on the lower end of average, but where's the fun in saying that?

"They're better than yours, and at least I have the excuse of needing to study about other things as well. What's yours?" Sun-il counters with a pointedly raised brow.

I smoothly turn the subject back to much more important matters. Like why so many creatures and users stay out of the normal world.

The answer is interesting. Apparently, the Interference Law doesn't just apply to humans, it applies to every living thing. Even gods can be killed by the planet. Because clearly the Interference Law wasn't frightening enough already.

"Why does the planet even do that?" I wonder.

Sun-il shrugs like the question isn't important. "There are as many theories about that as there are stars. Personally, I think it's the equivalent of Gaia's immune system. Some beings, and some users too for that matter, have enough power to eradicate all life on the planet."

Well that's terrifying.

"The Interference Law ensures that doesn't happen," Sun-il continues like he hasn't dropped yet another bombshell on me. "Though this is just my personal belief. Truth is, no one knows for certain why the Law exists. It's one of life's great mysteries," he finishes with a mock sage expression.

After that, conversation returns to his family once more, and he explains why they hold a fair amount of power and influence in the Abyss. Part of it is because of their sheer history. Most clans don't survive for longer than a millennium, two at best, but the Chunbumoon Clan has been around for over four thousand years and is still going strong. The amount of information they've accumulated by now is enough to make them influential all on its own.

Sun-il is pretty proud when he informs me that their magical libraries are some of the most extensive there are.

Another reason for their influence, is that they're powerful.

"We aren't the most powerful by far, but we're definitely on the higher end of the spectrum. Not to mention that we specialize in combat, and in the Abyss, being able to fight is incredibly important."

"Why is it so important?" Well, obviously it's important, but the way Sun-il said it makes it seem like it's the most important thing of all. Given that we're talking about magic, that seems oddly simplistic.

"How can you ask that after this morning?" he counters with genuine incredulity. "There are always idiots who want to exploit those weaker than themselves. Adding abilities to the mix just makes those idiots so much worse."

Which leads to the explanation of what his family actually does. In the Abyss, I already know what they do in the normal world. Well, I don't know what every person does, Sun-il's family is far too large for that. But I know that they have normal jobs.

Now I learn that they have responsibilities aside from their normal lives as well.

In essence, the Chunbumoon Clan is a family of super warrior monks who protect the people of Seoul, users and normal people both, from various forms of evil magic.

"You make it sound like we belong in a kid's show," Sun-il says after I summarize his explanation.

"Am I wrong?" I counter in a tone that tells him I know I'm not.

"No, I'm just pointing out that you sound like a five year old," he insults with a sunny smile.

I kick his leg.

The situation is a little more complicated than that, of course. For one, Sun-il's family shares the territory of Seoul with two other factions. One of those factions is another family of users, called the Yunhon Clan. That's the family the girl on fire belongs to.

"Unlike our Clan, the Yunhon power their abilities by burning up parts of their soul."

"They what."

Yeah, the fire created by Shi-yun? That's a physical manifestation of her _burning up_ part of _her soul_. Sun-il does add that souls are incredibly resilient and recover rather easily most of the time, if given proper treatment, but still. Who ever thinks that burning up part of their soul is a good idea?

Sun-il agrees with that sentiment, saying that the members of the Yunhon Clan, while theoretically skilled enough that they aren't supposed to be in danger of permanently damaging themselves, face the ever present risk of burning up too much of their soul in one go. When that happens, the consequences are catastrophic.

After he gives a few examples of those consequences, I agree completely.

"Why would they even use their souls if it's so dangerous?" I wonder. It can't be called a smart thing to do.

"Because souls are one of the most powerful energy sources in existence," Sun-il explains.

"Better than ki?" I tease.

"Of course not," comes the unexpectedly heated retort. Not merely indignant, but actually genuinely insulted, something that doesn't happen often.

It's hilarious to see.

His own words make Sun-il grimace, and when he resumes his explanation, it's with clear reluctance. "Strictly speaking souls are more powerful than ki. A lot more powerful, actually, but using your own as fuel greatly limits the amount you can use. It also puts you at constant risk of damaging yourself in the most horrifying of ways. Honestly, I never understood why the Yunhon developed combat techniques with it, that's just asking for trouble. Not to mention that they aren't as good as our clan at fighting, not by a long shot," he finishes with a hint of actual contempt. "Though I'll admit that they're great healers," he tacks on like the afterthought it is.

"I'm sensing some rivalry here," I understate.

"You're imagining things," Sun-il fails to convince me.

I give him a patronizing smile. _Of course I am_.

Sun-il ignores my teasing, confirming the rivalry better than anything else could. He continues his explanation instead.

Aside from the Yunhon Clan, Sun-il's family share their territory with one other faction. Except faction isn't the right word, seeing as it's a single person.

"He's known as the Temp Magician to people not planning on crossing him, and the Existence Eater to dead men walking."

"Do I even want to know?" I ask rhetorically. Obviously I want to know.

Sun-il gives a sunny smile. "Depends on whether you're a moron or not, so I guess–"

"Just start talking," I cut him off, rolling my eyes.

It turns out that the Temp Magician is a nickname he got because he keeps failing to get a permanent job. Temp stands for temporary. As in, he hasn't been able to hold down anything other than a temporary job.

The Temp Magician doesn't interact much with the Abyss, something that is apparently extremely unusual for someone of his power. However, when he does decide to interfere, his power means that whoever he's going after is a dead man walking.

"And he's also known as the Existence Eater because..." I drawl.

Sun-il explains why. After taking a moment to calmly think that information through, I come to the only logical decision there is.

"I am _never_ getting in his way."

"That is without a doubt the smartest thing you've ever said," Sun-il returns in an instant, meaning every word, before he looks at me with such mock pride. "I'm so proud."

I punch his arm.

"Any tips on how to accomplish staying out of his way?" I ask. Clearly that's the most important thing to know.

As luck would have it, this isn't hard to accomplish. As long as I don't wreck havoc in Seoul, the odds of him going after me are for all intents and purposes zero. Most of the time the Existence Eater is content to let either the Chunbumoon or the Yunhon Clan go after any troublemakers. He only interferes when the threat is greater than they can handle, something that doesn't happen often, or when he feels like they aren't taking care of the problem fast enough.

This is fantastic news.

I'm about to ask what other "territories" there are in Korea, but Mom calls us down for dinner before I can. Her voice startles me more than the sudden quest does. I completely lost track of time. I noticed it was getting dark of course, but I didn't realize just how late it already is.

With a conversation as fascinating as this, how can I pay attention to anything else?

We decide to talk more after dinner and go downstairs.

Dinner is... awkward. Mom curtly asks Sun-il how he is, how is grandfather is doing, the things she always asks when he stays for dinner. The only unusual thing is that she pointedly doesn't ask about what about our supposed studying.

Yet even though she speaks like nothing out of the ordinary is going on, even though she doesn't show a single sign of hostility, she somehow manages to turn the entire conversation in the most terrifying threat possible. Mom has a true gift.

I occasionally intervene whenever Sun-il becomes too uncomfortable, but for the most part I keep quiet. It gives me the opportunity to start truly processing the wealth of information Sun-il has shared. Talking would only distract me from that.

Of course, there's also the fact that I want to make Sun-il suffer for keeping secrets from me for so long. Sure, I'm not mad about it anymore, but that doesn't mean I can't take revenge.

When the awkward dinner is over, Sun-il and I do the dishes. I know that if Mom wasn't in such an antagonistic mood, Sun-il would've made the entire thing devolve in a water fight. Payback for leaving him at Mom's mercy.

Given that he can't do that without risking Mom's wrath, he gives me an incredibly dirty look instead. _You are cruel, you really are_.

I reply with a smug smile. _Revenge is sweet_.

Sun-il flicks some soap at my cheek, and I have to chuckle at the uneasy glance he reflexively shoots towards the living room. Mom isn't even within sight, yet Sun-il acts like she knows what he's done.

Then again, when it comes to Mom, that isn't an unreasonable assumption to make.

After we finish the dishes, we return to my room. The moment I sit down the bed, Sun-il grabs my pillow and gently smacks me in the face with it.

"You are _evil_. How could you abandon me like that? It's bad enough I had to eat tofu!" he exclaims, indignant and betrayed. I let out a victorious laugh. His reaction is a true delight to my sense of vengeance.

Sun-il tries to smack me with the pillow again, but this time I'm ready and manage to grab it before it hits my face. Well, he lets me grab it.

"Evil," Sun-il condemns once more, letting go of my pillow and dropping down my chair. I throw the pillow at his own face, but he grabs it before it can hit him.

"Is the poor super warrior monk scared of my mom?" I mock with a grin.

"Terrified," Sun-il confirms, grave and serious, and only half joking. I chuckle, and it's enough to make him lose the fight against his own grin.

"But seriously, did I do something wrong?" he continues, genuinely puzzled. Not surprising, the rare occasions where Mom is hostile towards him, it's usually easy to determine the cause.

Not this time.

I shrug. "Not that I know of," I answer truthfully, before I put on my best innocent expression. "Want me to ask?"

"Don't you dare," he immediately warns. "I do _not_ want your mom to lecture me." He says lecture in the same way others would use the word torture. I grin.

"Anyway, is there anything else I really need to know?" I ask, picking up our previous conversation.

Sun-il's expression turns serious. "Yeah, there is," he replies, soft and intense. It makes me straighten, my own amusement fading. Whatever comes next is important. "Don't use your ability outside of my home."

Wait, what? Why?

"I mean it, Jee-han. Unless it's a matter of life or death, don't use it outside of my home," Sun-il half orders, half pleads.

I give him a look that means _you're going to have to explain this in a lot more detail than that_.

Sun-il's expression tightens as the worry he's been struggling with since lunch breaks through with a vengeance.

Was that really only hours ago? It feels like an eternity has passed since then.

"The Abyss is _dangerous_. People die all the time, and there are so many fates worse than death. If it becomes known that you're a newly awakened natural..." Sun-il closes his eyes and his shoulders slump in a way I hate seeing. I don't see often, though still far more often than I like, given how many of his family–

Oh.

I've... always know that deaths in his family aren't uncommon. It seems like not a year goes by without Sun-il having to go to a funeral. His family seems cursed with bad luck, given how many die in tragic accidents.

Except they aren't accidents. Can't be, not with their magic.

I called his family a clan of super warrior monks who fight against evil, and that's true. But until now, I didn't realize what that means. Not truly.

It means they risk their life in battle. This isn't fiction, isn't a kid's show where the good guys always win. Always survive.

In real life, there's no guarantee of survival.

Sun-il has lost far too many people already. If he wants me to be careful with my ability, I will be.

"Alright," I agree softly, making Sun-il open his eyes. "I won't use my ability outside of your home," I promise.

The sheer relief Sun-il shows convinces me even further that this is the right decision to make. I'd agree to be careful for that alone, even if my own safety wasn't at stake as well.

"Thank you. I really needed to hear that," he returns in a voice as soft as my own. I give him a hesitant smile, uncertain about what to do next. I'm not the greatest at offering comfort, to put it midly.

Sun-il smiles back, and while it's a small one, it's also genuine. It seems my promise was enough to comfort him, thankfully.

"...Why can't I use my ability outside of your home?" I ask after it becomes clear that Sun-il isn't going to start talking again.

"We have anti-surveillance wards," he replies like it should be obvious. I blink with confusion.

Anti-surveillance wards? Why? Well, obviously to prevent surveillance, but who would even want to spy on them in the first place? And why is it so important?

"Information is one of the hottest commodities in the Abyss, and when you have magic, distance isn't an issue in gathering it," Sun-il answers my unspoken question. "That's why it's so important that you don't use your ability outside of my home unless it's absolutely necessary. The more you use it, the greater the odds of the wrong kind of people not only noticing you, but of them coming after you. That's not something you want happening, trust me." His grim expression lets me know just how serious this issue is. Even so, I can't help but wonder.

"Why would anyone even come after me?" It's not like I'm powerful, as evidenced by this morning. So why would anyone be interested in me?

Sun-il hesitates in a way that means he doesn't want to tell me because he doesn't want to worry me, yet at the same time he knows that this is information I really need. I give him the time he needs to work through his reluctance.

It takes a frustrating amount of time, but Sun-il does manage to work through it.

"...There are many reasons, each worse than the last. They..." He lets out a tired sigh and closes his eyes as his shoulder slump in the worst possible way once more. "They might want to make you their pet. Or cut you into pieces to sell to the highest bidder. Or drain your energy for fuel. Most likely some kind of combination."

I stare. Sun-il already said that the Abyss is dangerous and I understood that I shouldn't underestimate that danger, but I didn't expect... well, this.

I don't really know how to react to this. It certainly dampens the wonder I've been feeling, though.

"...You alright?" Sun-il asks in a cautious voice, watching me in a way that means he's expecting me to freak out. Without my Gamer's Mind, I would have. I would've been pacing like mad and ranting out loud, unable to deal with this. Now however, my mind is racing over all the information I've already unwittingly revealed.

"Both Shi-yun and the Black Summoner know about me." My words come out as urgent as I feel. I need to know what that means for me.

I don't answer his question because while I might not be panicking, I'm not alright. Not really.

Sun-il's worry grows. He knows what my lack of answer means.

So he does his best to reassure my fears.

"The Yunhon won't make that information public, they're protectors like us. The Black Demon... won't either. It's not his style." That last comes out more as an attempt to reassure both me and himself. Not comforting.

Sun-il grimaces as he realizes this as well, before he gives a gentle look. "Let me worry about the Black Demon. You just make sure you stay out of his way."

That has the complete opposite effect of what he intended, my fear spiking as high as my Gamer's Mind allows because what Sun-il is planning on doing couldn't be more clear.

"You can't go after him!" What is he thinking? The Black Summoner is almost twice his level!

"He's causing trouble in our territory. We're going to deal with him," Sun-il says, more inexplicably dangerous than I've ever known him to be. But at my horrified expression, his own softens, the sense of danger disappearing as he makes another attempt to reassure me. Emphasis on attempt.

"Don't worry, I won't be the one to confront him. But we can't ignore him. Not when he's hurting our people."

I clench my fists, my fear and worry not in any way abated because this makes it hit home that it isn't just Sun-il's family that gets into dangerous situation.

Sun-il does too.

That's something I would _never_ have been able to deal with without my Gamer's Mind.

But now I can. Now I know what to do.

I have to get stronger. As fast as possible.

I can't ask Sun-il to say out of danger, not if it means that another of his family would take his place. Sun-il would never agree to that.

So I have to get strong enough to be able to fight alongside him and protect him when needed. Which is something I could've never imagined I'd need to do, Sun-il is the strongest person I know.

That was before this morning. Before I realized the gravity of the situation. The true danger.

I won't let him put his own life at risk without doing everything I can to protect him.

He would do the same for me.

"Jee-han, what are you thinking?" Sun-il warns in a tone that means _it better not be what I think it is_.

I lift my chin defiantly. _Tough luck, it is_.

"No," he snaps. I keep giving him a defiant look. " _No_ , you are _not_ coming along. Ever," he declares harshly.

"I'm not going to let you go into danger alone," I snap as my own temper flares. He can't just ask me to sit by and do nothing!

"So you'll get in my way instead?" Immediately after saying it, he grimaces, uncomfortable with his own words. But he doesn't take them back.

"I'll get stronger," I tell him, doing my best to speak calmly. I do understand that until I do, he's right about me getting in the way.

I don't want to put him in _more_ danger.

"I won't be alone, that's not how our clan works. We also don't send our people into situations we don't think they can handle," Sun-il says with forced calm as well, switching tactics in an effort to make me change my mind. Like that's even possible.

"Then you should welcome the extra back-up," I counter.

Sun-il let out a strangled sound, worry and anger breaking his illusion of calm. "I'm not letting you come with me!" he yells.

"And I'm not going to sit around and do nothing while you're in danger!" I yell back, resisting the urge to punch the asshole. Right now that would just make the situation worse. I settle for a vicious glare instead.

Sun-il meets my glare with one that's just as fierce. "This isn't up for discussion," he bites out. I barely manage to swallow down my own angry retort. Right now, I have zero chance of convincing the overprotective asshole to change his mind.

Of course, he has zero chance of making me change my own mind as well.

Sun-il groans and closes his eyes with a grimace. He knows just as well as I do that neither of us are going to give in about this.

"You're impossible," he declares, and for once he truly means it.

I bite back another retort and glare at him even more fiercely, still angry that he could ever expect me to sit by and do nothing. Especially when I have magic of my own. Sure, I'm not strong yet, but I will be.

I'll make sure of it.

I don't say so out loud. Not now, when I know continuing this argument is just going to make it keep going in circles. We're at an impasse.

Sun-il knows it too, it's the reason that he isn't looking at me. He's trying to calm down, and seeing my stubbornness would only make his temper take over again. Like he isn't just as stubborn. Hypocrite.

I don't mind that he isn't looking at me. It gives me the opportunity to reign in my own temper, something I really need to do, because if I'm confronted by his hypocritical overprotectiveness again in my current mood, I'm going to smack the asshole. Hard. Seriously, if he's allowed to protect me, I'm allowed to protect him.

That's such an incredibly weird thought. Me, protect Sun-il.

Doesn't mean I won't do it.

Of course, I need to get strong enough to do that first. So I start thinking of ways to accomplish that. Given the newfound restriction on where I can use my ability, I can no longer train my active skills at all times. However, I can still try to create new ones through experimentation, and raise my stats by exercising and studying. And search for a way to increase my wisdom and luck as well.

I can also train my passive skills. Most importantly, I can train Physical Resistance. I don't have to do anything magical to make that rise, just need to hurt myself.

Wow, that sounds so wrong even inside my own head.

Sun-il lets out a weary sigh and meets my eyes again, not completely calmed down yet, but closer to it than before. "What am I going to do with you," he says with a touch of real despair.

"Help me get stronger of course," I answer the obvious. Hypocritical asshole or not, I know he'll help with that.

Sun-il might hate the thought of me being in danger, but he hates the thought of me being in danger and not being capable of defending myself even more. Which is why he started teaching me self-defense all those years ago,.

Sun-il lets out a pained groan. "You have the survival instincts of a goldfish," he accuses with real disgust. He actually means it, the utter asshole.

"Excuse you, I have excellent survival instincts," I retort with a dirty look. As evidenced by me immediately running away from the Black Summoner.

"Says the moron who ran towards mysterious howls," he counters, deeply unimpressed. I ignore the fact that he has a point and kick his leg instead.

Sun-il huffs, his lips curving in a reluctantly amused smile. "Moron," he accuses affectionately.

"Asshole," I retort fondly. We grin, and it's a silent agreement to let the argument rest.

For now.

* * *

 **AN:** I know this was mostly an information dump, but I hope it wasn't too boring to read :)

Next up: actual training.


	6. Chapter 6

After Sun-il and I come to a temporary truce, we return to talking about more immediate concerns. Tomorrow the weekend starts, and seeing as I don't have cram school because of Teacher Kim's illness, he tells me to come over to start my training.

Called it.

Sun-il also informs me that he's going to tell his grandfather about me. Well, it's phrased as a question, but he obviously expects me to agree.

I do. The more help, the better. Not to mention it would be kind of difficult to train in Sun-il's home without his grandfather's notice.

With that out of the way, I ask Sun-il why he's been encouraging to use Observe when the need to remain hidden is so important. The answer?

Sun-il was, and still is for that matter, using his ki to mask my own presence. Somehow.

"It's not a foolproof method, but people would already have to be nearby or be scrying for you specifically in order to detect you."

When I point out that he said my own ability isn't powered by ki, he answers that as long as I'm not doing anything too powerful, that doesn't matter. Just because I'm using a different form of magic doesn't mean he can't use his own to mask it.

Then Mom informs us that it's unfortunately time for him to go.

We go downstairs, and I tell Mom of my new plans for the weekend. The scrutinizing look she gives me before giving permission is very uncomfortable. Not as uncomfortable as the almost polite way she bids Sun-il farewell, though, not by far.

Judging from the way Sun-il straightens like he's facing a firing squad, he agrees completely.

As we walk towards the door, Sun-il silently asks _you're sure you don't know why your mother is angry with me?_

I answer with a look that means _I honestly don't_. _But it's hilarious to see_.

Sun-il's expression turns flat. _You're such a kind person._

 _Why thank you_ , I reply with a pleased smile.

We say our goodbyes, yet instead of leaving, Sun-il hesitates.

"...Be careful," he pleads, soft enough that Mom can't hear. I gently punch his arm.

"I will," I promise.

Sun-il hesitates again, clearly wanting to repeat that sentiment in about a thousand different ways. I roll my eyes with a smile.

"Go. I'll be fine. And don't do anything stupid," I warn, because if he goes after the Black Summoner without telling me, I'm going to be pissed.

"That's incredibly ironic coming from you," he mocks, but his smile lets me know that he won't be going after the Black Summoner. Tonight, at least.

Good enough.

I gently punch his arm once more, and with a final chuckle, Sun-il leaves.

I close the doors and start going back to my room, but Mom halts me before I reach the stairs.

"Your studying went well?" she asks, not sounding accusing at all.

Well, it was clear from the beginning that he didn't buy our story.

"Yeah, it was fine," I return, bravely sticking to our excuse. Mom's inscrutable look makes me want to fidget, but I valiantly resist the uge and give her my most innocent smile instead.

After a moment that feels much longer than it is, Mom's expression softens, letting me know that she'll let this slide. I swallow down my sigh of relief.

"Don't stay up too late," Mom says. I give an agreeing nod. A blatant lie, I'm not planning on sleeping for more than an hour. But I agree to obey the spirit of her words, which is that I need to get enough sleep. An hour is enough.

I return to my room, grab a history book, place it down the floor and start doing pushups while reading it. I might not be able to train my active skills, but that doesn't mean I can't improve my stats.

Time to raise my intelligence and strength.

* * *

That night, I dream of flying.

* * *

The next morning I dress for training and take the bus to Sun-il's home. As always, I have to take a moment to just stare at the huge walled off compound, the sheer size as mind boggling as ever.

Sun-il might not act like it, but he's definitely a rich kid.

I buzz the intercom. Which, astonishingly enough, has only been in place for the past four years. Before that, I actually had to knock on the gates leading to the grounds. Not leading to the compound, to the grounds. I never understood how someone always managed to be near enough to hear me knock–

Huh. That's probably because of their magic. Or maybe there's some kind of ward in place to let them know?

I make a mental note to ask Sun-il before turning my attention to the voice sounding from the intercom.

"Poong Sae-young of the Shin Dojo speaking, how may I help you?"

"Hey, Sae-young," I greet. "It's Jee-han. I'm here to see Sun-il."

"Oh, hi! Yeah, he told us you were coming. Hold on, I'll be right there." With that, the intercom turns off. I wait for Sae-young to arrive.

Sae-young is one of Sun-il's many cousins, a few years older than him and going to college. She's also one of the few friends I have besides him. Which is kind of odd, seeing as we have almost nothing in common. In some ways, Sae-young is very... girly.

Not that there's anything wrong with that, but while Sae-young loves to talk about boys and clothes, I don't. At all.

However, Sae-young and I do share one great passion, and it's the basis for our entire friendship. It's also one of the only things I act girly about.

We both love pretty underwear. True, Sae-young's tastes are more racy than mine, but the appreciation is the same. Which means that aside from seeing her when I visit the dojo, we occasionally go shopping for lingerie together. Though every time we do, I have to remind her that my other clothes are fine, no, I don't need to wear more flattering things, and I definitely don't need to show more skin.

It's fun.

Of course, while Sae-young is very girly in some ways, in others she really isn't. For one, she's the most violent person I know.

I've never understood why she hates it when guys comment on her strength. Positive or negative doesn't matter, she's insulted when they call her weak, yet she's even more insulted if they're impressed by it. According to Sae-young, women are supposed to be delicate.

Said by the person whose first response to any kind of problem is violence.

Sae-young's dislike of being called strong is pretty strange when considering her family. They don't expect their women to be weak. The opposite in fact, in this family, women are expected to be just as kickass as the men are.

I turn my attention to the gate as Sae-young sticks her head out with a grin.

| Chunbumoon's Phantom Cloud  
| LV32 Poong Sae-young

Well what do you know. Sae-young is a higher level than Sun-il. How unexpected. Sure, Sae-young is a kickass fighter as well, but given the things both of them say about their spars, I assumed that Sun-il would have a higher level than her.

"Hi, Jee-han, how are you? Come in. Sun-il is in the gardens, I'll take you to him," Sae-young greets while waving me in.

"Hey, Sae-young. I'm fine, how are you?" I ask, entering the grounds and giving her cerulean hair a speculative glance. It's a perfect match for her equally cerulean eyes.

I remind myself to ask Sun-il if his family's gene for rainbow colored hair and eyes is caused by their ability. Or maybe it's because they're descended from an actual god?

That's still so incredibly weird to think about. Sun-il is distantly related to an actual _god_.

Yeah, I'm not going to get over that anytime soon.

I could ask Sae-young about their rainbow gene of course, but given that I'm not sure if she knows about my ability yet, I decide to ask Sun-il instead.

"I'm great!" Sae-young answers cheerfully. "There's this guy in my accounting class, Chi-won, has the cutest dimples when he smiles, and he's agreed to go on a date with me!"

I listen with half an ear while looking around the courtyard with curiosity. Most of the people I see aren't part of the Chunbumoon Clan, that much is clear from their levels alone. Even without the levels, it's easy to see who's part of the clan and who isn't. All the users I'm seeing have a class that mentions the name of Chunbumoon.

"We're going to an amusement park next Sunday, but I'm not sure if I should wear my azure skirt with that low-cut top, you know, the pink one with the beautiful trims. Or maybe the emerald dress with the flower motif? It's more modest, but it does make my figure look great. What do you think?" Sae-young asks like this is something I can help with. I don't even know what clothes she's talking about. Though given how many Sae-young has, that's not surprising.

"I have no opinion about this whatsoever," I tell her truthfully while continuing to look around.

"Jee-han, this is serious," Sae-young scolds.

Oh yes, very serious indeed.

"Then you should ask someone else. I suck at this and you know it," I retort while debating with myself on whether to Observe the people or not.

I decide not to. Sae-young has no problem with smacking someone if she feels like they aren't giving her enough attention. It's very annoying.

I don't care about the hypocrisy of thinking that in the slightest. Besides, I only hit Sun-il, and I never do it because I feel like he isn't giving me enough attention of all things. That really isn't something you should hit a person for.

Sae-young lets out a resigned sigh. "You're no help at all. I suppose I should wear the dress, don't want to come over as desperate after all. I'll wear the top on our next date."

"There you go, problem solved," I say, halting in front of another gate, this one leading to the private gardens.

Sae-young pouts. "Really, how do you ever expect to get a boyfriend with an attitude like that?" she chides while slipping inside. I follow after her.

"I'd have to even like a boy firs–"

| You have entered an Instant Dungeon!

| Chunbumoon's Wind Rain Cloud Triad Zone  
| Not having the Wind God Technique decreases your stats by 10%  
| Not having the Rain God Technique decreases your stats by 10%  
| Not having the Cloud God Technique decreases your stats by 10%

I gape, completely disorientated because this _definitely_ isn't the gardens.

I'm inside a giant room filled with tall pillars as far as the eye can see. Though calling it a room is stretching it, it's so huge that I can't see the walls or ceiling. Not helped by the fog drifting everywhere.

Obviously, I'm inside an illusion barrier. This answers the question of whether Sae-young knows about my ability or not.

Speaking of.

"Sae-young? Where are you?" I call out as I look around, trying to spot her.

"So here's a funny story." Sae-young's light voice makes me lift my head towards one of the ridiculously tall pillars. The moment I see her, I freeze.

Sae-young, standing on top of the pillar in a conveniently fogless spot, is more inexplicably dangerous than I've ever known her to be. Cold eyes meet my own. "Last night Sun-il comes home and tells us his friend Jee-han is a natural. Funny, right? Because the Jee-han I know is a tomboy who's addicted to silly games and could never in a million years be a natural. Which means you're an imposter."

Wait, what? I open my mind to demand just that, except then Sae-young _smiles_.

It's the smile a lion would give to a mouse.

"So let's find out who you really are."

Oh cr–

I throw myself to the side as Sae-young jumps down fist first, and as I somehow manage to land on my feet, I watch with horror as Sae-young's punch creates an actual _crater_ where I was standing not even a moment before.

She would've killed me with that.

"Sae-young, I'm–" Ducking out of the way of a punch and the follow up kick, no time to talk, have to keep moving, need all my focus just to make sure I don't get hit.

"I don't know how you managed to fool Sun-il, but you won't fool me." Part of me registers Sae-young's ominous words, just as part of me realizes that she's holding back big time, given that I'm succeeding in dodging her attacks. But while she's holding back, that doesn't mean I can afford to get hit.

If she hits me as hard as she hit the floor, I'll die. Probably die.

I do _not_ want to test if I can survive a hit like that or not.

On another note, Sae-young has gained a health bar above her head. I'm guessing that's because she's turned hostile. Lethally so.

I have to convince her that I'm really me, have to come up with something to say that'll change her mind. Yet even if I do, I can't actually tell her because I have to _keep dodging_. I can't afford the distraction of speech, it's a miracle I'm even thinking coherently, thank you, Gamer's Mind. And thank you, Sun-il, for all those years of self-defense. They're the only thing preventing me from getting destroyed.

"There are two ways of doing this," Sae-young begins in a fake pleasant voice while I desperately twist out of the way of another combo. I know I have to create an opening so I can talk, but Sae-young is moving so smoothly that I have zero chance of launching an attack of my own, never mind create an opening. "There's the hard way, and the harder way."

Oh this can't be good– Sae-young throws a punch at a speed I can't dodge, hitting my chest full on and making me fly through the air.

| -100 HP

| Physical Resistance has risen by 1!

| Physical Resistance has risen by 1!

My back impacts harshly against a pillar and if that punch hadn't already knocked all the wind out of me, I would've cried out with pain.

| -13 HP

I force myself back to my feet, have to, can't afford to get hit like that again, only have twenty-seven health left.

"I've decided to do this the harder way," Sae-young declares with another bone chilling smile as she prowls towards me.

"I'm not an imposter!" I rush out as soon as I manage to gather enough air to do so.

Sae-young disappears from my sight without warning and then my face is suddenly meeting the floor. I feel one of her knees pushing down my back while her other holds my arm captive, my remaining arm grasped by a hand and pulled back so forcefully that if feels like it's one the verge of being ripped off. I can't help but cry out in pain.

| -2 HP

| -2 HP

| -2 HP

"I'll give you one chance to come clean. Who are you, and what have you done to Jee-han?" Sae-young threatens, slowly increasing the force tearing at my arm.

| -2 HP

| -2 HP

Only seventeen health left and my mind races on what I can say to make her believe me, something that isn't common knowledge–

"You love how easy it is to find panties that make your ass look great but you hate how difficult it is to find a sexy bra in your size that also fits well!" I almost stumble over the words in my haste to get them out.

Sae-young doesn't say anything, but while my arm is still painfully pulled back, the tearing force is no longer getting worse. Most important of all, I've stopped losing health.

"You usually wear black lace, but you have a gorgeous blue set that make your breasts look fantastic, and you always wear it on a first date for good luck. You buy a bunch of babydolls whenever you have a breakup but end up never wearing them, so you donate them all to charity once a year. You only wear red when you're on your period," I continue rattling off, not even trying to get out of her concrete like grip. That would just be a waste of energy.

Given the circumstances, wasting any kind of energy isn't something I can afford to do.

"...What's my favorite pair of panties?"

Oh thank every god there is, she's starting to believe me.

"They're not panties, they're boxers that got mixed up in your laundry years ago. You have no idea whose they are, but you use them as pyjamas bottoms because they're so comfy," I answer and resist the urge to hold my breath as I wait for her reaction. It's important to keep my breathing steady because if she doesn't believe me, I have to be ready to defend myself. Or rather, try to defend myself.

I actually have one idea on how I can win against her, but that's something I won't ever use on Sae-young. Not even when she's about to kill me.

...Probably not even when she's about to kill me.

Come on, just believe me!

"...You're really Jee-han?"

Success!

" _Yes_ , now let go of me!"

Sae-young lets go of my arm and gets off my back. I let out a harsh breath, getting to my feet and cradling my abused arm close. My shoulder is _unbelievably_ sore. And my chest still hurts. So much.

"Sae-young, what the hell? You could've killed me!" I yell while spinning around to face her, anger rising now that the danger has passed.

Sae-young is looking at me pensively and completely ignores my accusation. At least she no longer has a health bar, making me even more certain that the danger has passed.

I tentatively try to rotate my shoulder and let out a hissed breath at the flare of pain it causes.

"Seriously, you couldn't have confirmed my identity _without_ using violence? And you wonder why you always get dumped," I snap.

Sae-young smacks the back of my head. Because clearly she hasn't abused me enough already.

"Now I know you're Jee-han," she declares while shaking her head. "Only you would insult someone right after they attacked you."

"You tried to kill me! Did you expect me to be nice about it?" I snap and punch her arm as hard as I can. Normally I only hit Sun-il, but if this doesn't call for an exception, I don't know what does.

Sae-young doesn't react to my hit in any way. It pisses me off even more.

"Don't be silly, I wasn't trying to kill you. How could you have told me what had happened to the real Jee-han if you were dead?" she replies with a bright smile.

I resist the urge to punch her again. "Thanks, I feel so much better now," I say in my most sarcastic voice while giving her a dirty look.

Sae-young laughs and pulls me into a tight hug, making me let out a sound that's half squeak of surprise, half grunt of pain. The force she's exerting isn't doing any favors to my poor shoulder and aching chest.

"I'm so glad you're alright," Sae-young whispers in a near inaudible voice.

I freeze, uncertain how to respond to this. Part of me still wants to push her away and yell that she's the one who put me in danger in the first place, but an even larger part... doesn't.

It's nice to know that if something does ever happen to me, Sae-young won't waste any time in figuring out how to get me back.

It's enough to make my temper cool down. Mostly die down, I'm still annoyed at her overreaction.

I decide not to push Sae-young away, but I don't really know what to do instead. Then again, given how tightly she's embracing me, there isn't much I can do. I'm kind of trapped.

After another awkward moment of captivity, Sae-young releases me and gives a smile. Her eyes are also a little... shiny.

Oh please, please, _please_ don't cry.

"Come here, let me look at your shoulder," she orders and doesn't wait for a reply before she forces me to turn around.

I yelp when she harshly digs her fingers into my tender shoulder. "Hey, watch it!"

"Stop moving, I'm checking for damage. Also, how's your chest? Any burning sensation or feeling like there's pressure pushing down on it?" she asks. I reluctantly obey her order to keep still, figuring it's best to let her do her thing.

While my shoulder and chest still hurt, it doesn't feel like anything's broken. Which, yes, I already suspected that my Gamer's Body prevents me from breaking bones, but it's one thing to suspect it, another thing entirely to test it.

"No, I'm not feeling any burning or pressure– auw! Can't you be more gentle?" I demand when she harshly pokes at a particularly sensitive spot again.

"Consider it training. You're going to have to get a whole lot tougher if you want to survive in the Abyss." Sae-young says it so casually that it takes a moment to register the gravity of her words.

Well. I already got that the Abyss is dangerous. Lethally so. Still, given the way Sae-young reacted to the mere possibility of me being an imposter, I'm starting to suspect that I'm underestimating just how dangerous it is. Which is saying something.

"Good news, you're perfectly fine! Huh. You sure your ability is about videogames? I really should've torn a few tendons. And cracked some ribs too for that matter, but your breathing and heartbeat are healthy," Sae-young says like she's talking about the most normal thing in the world.

Heartbeat? More importantly.

"You should've _cracked some ribs?_ What if you'd broken them?" I demand with returning anger as I turn around to face her. Sure, I suspect that I can't break bones any longer, but she doesn't.

"Please, I'm not an amateur. As if I'd ever break ribs without meaning to," Sae-young answers with a bemused grin and mercifully dry eyes.

She's insane. I already knew that of course, but apparently her insanity is even worse than I thought. Sun-il is right, mixing idiots and magic makes everything worse.

I open my mouth to tell her just that– I let out a startled scream, the sound drowned out by deafening thunder echoing everywhere, and I flail around, fighting to remain standing on my feet as the ground shakes like crazy.

Sae-young keeps standing in place like there isn't an earthquake happening.

The room shatters.

"Great news, Sun-il wasn't tricked after all! She's really Jee-han!" Sae-young declares to no one in particular while I work through the disorientation of suddenly finding myself on solid ground in the gardens. This task isn't made easier by Sun-il materializing right in front of me out of nowhere, his hands grasping my shoulders and anxious eyes looking me over.

"Are you alright?" he demands. I nod on auto-pilot, but it's a truthful answer. I am fine, just sore and tender. And already less sore and tender than before.

Sun-il lets out a relieved sigh and lets go of me, before he turns to face Sae-young.

He _glares_. It's not at Mom's level by a long shot, but it's still the most impressive glare I've ever seen from him.

To her credit, Sae-young's smile only becomes a little fixed, she shows no other signs of her discomfort.

"Don't give me that look, you're completely blind when it comes to her. Of course we had to check," she tells him like he's the one who's in the wrong.

"We?" Sun-il demands in a deceptively soft voice while turning his glare in a different direction. I follow his line of sight and am surprised to see that his two brothers and their grandfather are standing nearby. So that's who Sae-young was talking to.

| Chunbumoon's Phantom Wind  
| LV28 Shin _Wind_ Chung-ho

| Chunbumoon's Phantom Rain  
| LV31 Shin _Rain_ Hyun-ki

| Chunbumoon's Head  
| LV? Shin Sun-oh

I stare. Their grandfather's mystery level is utterly unexpected.

Also, I can't believe the names of Sun-il's brothers actually mention their English nicknames.

"Come on, you can't pretend you'd have reacted differently if this happened to any of us instead," Wind says in response to Sun-il's glare, apparently unaffected by it, before he gives me a cheerful wave. "Happy to hear you're alright, squirt," the living tower of muscles greets with a smile.

Wind isn't his real name of course, but a few years ago, Sun-il's oldest brother got the bright idea of going by the name because _it sounds cool_. And he wanted his two brothers to do the same. He even picked out new names for them. Rain had gone along with it, but Sun-il absolutely refused to answer to Cloud. Which is a shame, I could've made fun of him about that forever.

Wind's choice of names makes a lot more sense now that I know they're all descended from Dangun.

"Thanks, I think," I answer without much thought.

Sun-il glances at me with incredulity. _Really? You're actually thanking him?_

I would've replied with a look that means _give me a break, I'm still off balance because of your crazy family_ , but Sun-il goes back to glaring at his brothers before I can.

"Nice to know how much I can rely on you all to trust my judgement," he actually condemns. This time it isn't just Sae-young that turns uncomfortable, Wind does as well. Rain, on the other hand...

"Your judgement is highly subjective when it comes to Jee-han. It's logical to seek a less compromised opinion as well," the middle brother says, mild as ever and not intimidated by Sun-il in the slightest.

It's funny how out of the three brothers, it's the shortest and and slimmest of the bunch who has the highest level. When standing next to the living tower of muscles that is Wind, Rain looks downright delicate. Shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, I suppose. Especially when adding in magic.

"And you had to deceive me in order to get that opinion?" Sun-il returns with an anger all the more intense for how cold it is. It makes both Sae-young and Wind turn a little more awkward, but Rain isn't affected at all.

"You would've interfered had you known of our plans," Rain counters like it's the most obvious thing in the world. Which it is.

Sun-il is not impressed.

"Enough," their grandfather interjects in a calm voice, yet all four straighten like it's shouted instead. Even Rain has a visible reaction.

There's a reason it came as no surprise whatsoever that their grandfather is the head of their clan.

Sun-il's grandfather always gives the impression that the world could be ending and he'd just find a way to continue business as usual. Not that he doesn't have his silly sides, but even when ranting about the dangers of technology, he has a sense of tranquility nothing ever seems to shake.

"Sun-il, it is not unreasonable of them to want to verify your story," he says, and while it doesn't sound like a chastisement, the reaction of his grandchildren makes it clear that's what it is. Wind and Sae-young turn smug, while Rain gets what can almost be called a satisfied expression.

Sun-il doesn't grimace, but it's clear that he wants to.

"Having said that," their grandfather continues, making Wind and Sae-young deflate and Rain lose his shadow of satisfaction. Sun-il, on the other hand, cheers right up. "It was unnecessary for you to deceive Sun-il, just as it was unnecessary to react with such force."

Given the way both Wind and Sae-young wince, but especially given the way Sun-il becomes even more pleased, I'm guessing there's going to be some kind of repercussions for this. Though I could be wrong, I'm not fluent in the unspoken language between them all.

"Grandfather, we just–" Wind shuts up the instant his grandfather turns his serene gaze towards him. Impressive. "Sorry, Grandfather," Wind finishes awkwardly instead.

His grandfather's expression remains just as serene. "It is not me you should be apologizing to," he says.

"I already apologized to Jee-han!" Sae-young rushes out.

"No you didn't," I reply. Not that I feel an apology is still necessary, but that doesn't mean I won't point out that I haven't gotten one.

"Yes I did, I hugged you and checked for damage," Sae-young says like that's supposed to count as an apology. She actually has the nerve to look a little betrayed at my words.

"Damage _you_ caused," I point out.

"What damage? You said you were alright," Sun-il demands, and I roll my eyes at his overprotectiveness.

"I'm fine, just sore, and even that's starting to clear up," I assure him.

"Really, already? Guess you're ability isn't as lame as I thought it was," Sae-young says with surprise. Which, rude.

"Sae-young, what exactly did you do to her?" Sun-il's demands so coldly that it almost sends shivers down my spine.

"She's _fine_ , and you're going to have to learn to deal with this now that she's a natural," Sae-young counters with unexpected harshness.

Sun-il's expression tightens in a way that means he knows she's right but he doesn't want to admit it. The soft sigh he lets out afterwards means that he's forcing himself to admit it anyway, at least to himself.

"Be as that may, you three owe Jee-han an apology," their grandfather orders.

Sae-young gives a sheepish and slightly regretful smile. "Sorry for hurting you, Jee-han," she says, and it's clear that she means it.

"Yeah, sorry for the rough welcome, squirt," Wind apologizes as well.

"I apologize for the pain our actions caused," Rain follows their example.

I can't help but notice none of them apologize for ambushing me in the first place. Judging from the dirty look Sun-il throws them all, I'm right in guessing that means they'd do it again without hesitation.

"Excellent," their grandfather says, drawing everyone's attention back to him. "Jee-han, welcome to our home. It is a pleasure to have you here," he greets like this is a normal visit and nothing out of the ordinary has happened.

I bow respectfully on habit. "I'm honored to be here. Now that I'm no longer being attacked, at least," I finish with a dry glance towards Sae-young. She gives a bright smile in return.

Their grandfather looks at me with a bemusement that makes alarm bells go off. His sense of humor is a lot more sadistic than you'd ever suspect from looking at him.

"This will not be the last time that happens. You are here to train, after all," he says in a voice touched by humor.

I'm beginning to suspect I've greatly underestimated just how much training is going to hurt. Still, I already knew it wouldn't be easy, and if it helps me get stronger...

I lift my chin defiantly.

"Bring it." My declaration makes Sun-il raise his eyes towards the sky in a plea for strength, while Wind laughs loudly. Wind suddenly materializes next to me and claps my shoulder, the non-tender one, hard enough to almost make me fall down.

"That's the spirit! We'll make a decent fighter out of you yet," he exclaims cheerfully. I give a grin back and ignore Sun-il's sigh of pained resignation. Tough luck, I've already told him that I'm going to get strong enough not just to protect myself, but to protect him as well. I will keep that promise.

No matter how painful it'll turn out to be.

* * *

 **AN:** I know I said there would be training, and I'd been planning to write that too. Then Sae-Young kind of took over the chapter ^^'

Though I suppose this could count as training. Sort of. Maybe.

Anyway, I'd love to hear what you think about this. Especially about Sun-Il's brothers, given that I've basically made up everything about them :p But really, they appear in one chapter of the manhwa and _never again_. It bothers me.

Admittedly, with the new/improved translation of The Gamer, it's become clear that they aren't Sun-il's brothers in blood, they're spiritual brothers instead. As in, they're part of the Chunbumoon Clan/somehow related to Sun-il, but they aren't his siblings. Oh well, too late to change that now. In the Female Gamer verse, they're his brothers.

Hope you enjoyed!


	7. Chapter 7

Their grandfather doesn't waste anymore time and creates an illusion barrier that looks like, well, a training room. A bigger version of the ones the dojo already has.

A _much_ bigger version. As in, I can't see the walls. Or the ceiling.

Even with the warning, it's disorienting to suddenly find myself within an endless "room" instead of the gardens.

Their grandfather asks for my hand. When I give it to him, he determines... something. I have no idea what he did, but he says that he's managed to sense my energy. Apparently it's faint and difficult to grasp. When I ask what that means for my power level, he says that merely examining my energy makes it impossible to determine that.

So I'm asked to demonstrate my skills, starting with Power Strike.

While I'm still extremely reluctant to use Power Strike on anyone that isn't an enemy, I suppose I have to get over that. Also, I seriously doubt that Power Strike can actually hurt any of the people here. Still, it doesn't feel right.

Best to get it over with quickly.

Sae-young volunteers to be hit and comes to stand in front of me. I say "Power Strike" and punch the arms she's holding up defensively.

"Huh, that almost hurt," she says with surprise and a complete lack of pain.

"Really?" I ask, kind of curious but mostly relieved at her casual reaction.

"Yeah, kind of like... I think it would be like you banging your knee," she replies with a pensive expression. "You know, you feel it, and it's almost painful, except it's really not."

While I already knew that Sun-il and his family are superhumanly strong, her answer drives it home even further.

"I don't know if you're complimenting or insulting me," I say truthfully.

"It's definitely a compliment."

Given that this is said by Sae-young and not Sun-il, I decide to believe her.

After that, I perform Fool's Act. It comes as no surprise that Wind and Sae-young burst out laughing. Sun-il starts chuckling as well, but he cuts himself off abruptly while turning to face Rain with astonishment.

After I finish moving in the most ridiculous of ways, I turn towards Rain as well, wondering what prompted that reaction. Both from Sun-il and their grandfather, because their grandfather is watching Rain with intrigue.

As soon as I turn to look at him, Rain twitches and his eyes widen a little behind his glasses. For him, that's the equivalent of having his jaw drop. "I couldn't move," he says with a remarkable amount of audible surprise.

Sae-young and Wind stop laughing. Their grandfather raises a questioning brow.

"My body was frozen," Rain elaborates. "I couldn't move, no matter how hard I tried. I couldn't manipulate my ki either." Judging from the astonishment Sae-young and Wind show over that last, this is more than just unusual.

"What does Fool's Act do, exactly?" their grandfather asks. I obligingly open my skill screen and read the description out loud.

"What a fearsome skill," their grandfather muses to himself, and I have to give him an incredulous look. Sure, Rain's reaction shows that it's unexpectedly useful, but fearsome?

"In battle, seconds are eternities," their grandfather proclaims with all the gravity of a sage. I glance towards Sun-il to check if his grandfather is being serious. Judging from the pensive way Sun-il is watching me, he is.

Well then. I place the training of Fool's Act higher on my mental to-do list. Hopefully, leveling it will increase the odds of confusing someone, because while Fool's Act is useful when it works, right now the chances of it succeeding are too low to use in a real fight. As evidenced by Rain being the first person to become confused. Or rather, the first to freeze.

Having demonstrated my active skills, I show them my inventory. Now that's something no one laughs about.

"That's _amazing_ , you'll never run out of food!" Wind exclaims after I pull out an apple.

Of course that's the first thing he thinks of. It's the first thing Sun-il thought of as well, because everyone in this family eats for ten. Yes, I now understand why, but that doesn't chance the sheer absurdity of the amount each and every one of them manages to consume. If they weren't rich, I honestly don't think they'd be able to keep everyone fed.

"Is there a limit to the size or the amount of objects you can put into it?" Rain asks.

"I haven't discovered one yet. In fact, I think I might even be able to store away people," I answer, the one idea I had on how to win against Sae-young.

Except I'm not sure that, in the event that I can indeed store people away, they'll survive the experience. I _think_ they will, but given that we're talking about people, I really can't take that on faith alone.

I'm planning to try to store away a few plants and bugs. If I can do that and they survive the experience, it most likely means that people can too. Though I won't assume that humans will survive until I've actually stored a person away. Which I'm hoping I'll never have to do.

But in the case I have too...

"If I can, it'll be incredibly useful in a fight. See, I need to be touching something and have that touch the inventory screen to store it away. The cool thing is, I'm able to make the screen appear wherever I want to just by thinking. Well, I can't make it appear further away than about an arm's length from me, but seeing as I also need to be touching whatever I want stored away, that's not an issue when using it. It's perfect for close combat. The moment anybody touches me, I can store them away," I explain, pretty proud of having thought of this. It's a great tactic, if I do say so myself.

The highly bemused look their grandfather gives is a solid indicator that this tactic is also just as sadistic as I think it is. So are the reactions of Sun-il, Wind and Sae-young, all who become a little disturbed. Meanwhile, Rain is staring at me with intense eyes, his equivalent of... I'm not sure what emotion it is, but it's a strong one.

"Am I the only one thinking that the squirt just became a little terrifying?" Wind asks no one in particular.

"Nope," Sae-young answers, but I'm more focused on Sun-il.

"Sometimes you worry me," he says, grave and serious, and only half joking. I roll my eyes.

"You saying it's a bad idea?" I shoot back in a tone that means _I know it isn't_.

"No, and that's what worries me," Sun-il retorts in a tone that means _morons shouldn't come up with smart ideas like that_.

I kick his leg. "I'm awesome at videogames. My ability is about videogames. Do the math, genius."

I really am awesome at them. As evidenced, among other things, by me trashing Sun-il's virtual ass in every tournament we have. Sure, he might occasionally win individual rounds, but I'm always the overall winner. Well, there have been a few rare cases where he beat me, but those are just flukes. As proven by me trashing his virtual ass even worse than usual in the inevitable rematch.

What can I say, I have a competitive streak. About some things, at least.

"I advise to thoroughly test that theory before using it in battle. Have you tried storing away plants?" their grandfather asks.

"Not yet, but I was planning on doing that today," I reply. I wanted to try that yesterday, and try storing away bugs as well for that matter, but given Sun-il's warning of not using my ability outside of his home, I decided to wait.

"We'll see to that later, then," their grandfather says with a decisive nod. "Now, Sun-il said you're also capable of seeing a person's level and status?" he asks like he doesn't know what to make of that.

I tell them what everyone's text says.

"Hah, in your face, my level is higher than yours!" Wind crows at Sun-il with a huge grin.

"Funny how that doesn't stop me from kicking your ass," Sun-il returns with a sunny smile.

Wind scoffs. "That's because you cheat," he accuses with a grin.

Sun-il shakes his head with mock disappointment. "It's not healthy to blame others for your own failures," he chides Wind like he's a child instead of his older brother.

"Hands up if you think Sun-il cheats!" Wind exclaims while raising his own. As expected, Rain and Sae-young raise a hand as well.

Sun-il straddles the thin line between being proud or just being plain smug.

I feel a smile grow at the argument I've been hearing since forever. Though I don't know how it is that Sun-il cheats, I'm always told that _it's a martial arts thing_. Which I now realize means that it has something to do with their power.

But before I'll ask about that. "You're really stronger than them?" With their levels, that just doesn't make sense. Sure, I realized during my fight with the Demon Slime that level aren't everything, but they have to count for something. Right?

"I really am," Sun-il confirms while giving the others a smile that pointedly isn't condescending at all.

"Because you cheat, you cheating cheater," Wind accuses with another amused grin.

"You cheat so hard," Sae-young agrees with a smile.

Sun-il shakes his head with such disappointment, before he leans towards me conspiratorially. "They're just jealous," he confides in a mock whisper. I chuckle.

"So what do their stats say?" Sun-il asks as he straightens back up, and I suddenly find myself the center of attention of four _very_ interested people. Even Rain looks openly curious.

I decide to start with Sae-young.

| Name: Poong Sae-young  
| Class: Chunbumoon's Phantom Cloud  
| Title: Freedom Seeker  
| Job: Athlete (Taekwondo)/Undergraduate University Student (Economics)  
| Race: Human  
| Gender: Female  
| Age: 24

| Level: 32 – Next Level: 72,63%  
| HP: 4300/4300  
| MP: 200/200

| STR: 78  
| VIT: 84  
| AGI: 66  
| INT: 26  
| WIS: 11  
| LUK: 35

"Wait, how come you're twenty-four years old?" I ask instead of reading it all out loud, because as far as I know, Sae-young is twenty-one.

"Remember how I said there are more advanced forms of illusion barriers," Sun-il asks. I nod with confirmation. "Some let you manipulate the flow of time, making it so that ten hours on the inside equals one hour on the outside. Though that particular ratio is just the standard for our clan. But while time passes more slowly inside, that doesn't mean you stop aging," he explains.

I stare. They can manipulate time? That's so cool! Mind blowing as well, because it's possible to manipulate _time_.

Can I do that as well? I really hope I can.

It also makes me grasp the full scope of just how much I don't know about Sun-il and his family, in a way not even yesterday managed to do. They're still the same people I've known since I was a kid, but now I realize that in some ways, I don't know them at all.

It doesn't exactly hurt, I've already forgiven Sun-il, and by extension, his family, for keeping their magic secret from me. Still, the realization can't be called a pleasant.

Instead of focusing on the fact that I don't know these people as well as I thought I did by far, I decide to rectify my lack of knowledge.

"But you aren't older than you should be," I say to Sun-il, a demand for him to explain.

"We're not allowed to use time barriers until we hit eighteen," Sun-il replies with a grin. He's enjoying my reaction so much.

"Is time being manipulated right now?" I ask with wonder.

"No, this is a basic barrier," Rain answers before Sun-il can.

"Time barriers aren't easy to make, even for Grandfather," Sun-il adds.

"This is fascinating and all, but tell me my information first," Sae-young demands, impatient and curious.

I tell them what her stats say.

"Freedom Seeker. I like that," Sae-young says with a pleased smile.

"Do me next!" Wind demands, his excitement making my own return in full force. My power really is amazing.

| Name: Shin _Wind_ Chung-ho  
| Class: Chunbumoon's Phantom Wind  
| Title: Caring Heart  
| Job: Martial Arts Teacher  
| Race: Human  
| Gender: Male  
| Age: 28

So Wind is five years older than he's supposed to be. That's so weird.

| Level: 28 – Next Level: 11,12%  
| HP: 3800/3800  
| MP: 100/100

| STR: 94  
| VIT: 66  
| AGI: 41  
| INT: 8  
| WIS: 54  
| LUK: 14

"You sure your ability isn't glitching? Wind isn't exactly what I'd call wise," Sun-il mocks after I finish reading out Wind's info.

"Baby bro, compared to you, I'm a damn sage," Wind counters easily, not insulted by Sun-il's words in the slightest.

"This is very true," Rain agrees, mild as ever and not laughing at Sun-il at all.

"Such caring brothers I have," Sun-il laments to the world in general.

"It's all there in my title," Wind quips without missing a beat.

"What does my information say?" Rain asks with an openly curious look.

| Name: Shin _Rain_ Hyun-ki  
| Class: Chunbumoon's Phantom Rain  
| Title: Pursuer Of Knowledge  
| Job: Undergraduate University Student (History)  
| Race: Human  
| Gender: Male  
| Age: 20

Rain is one year older than he's supposed to be. Does that mean that after they hit eighteen, Sun-il's family spends half their time inside time barriers? Or, well, spend twenty-four hours inside a time barrier for every day that passes in real time?

| Level: 31 – Next Level: 67,75%  
| HP: 4000/4000  
| MP: 1000/1000

| STR: 69  
| VIT: 81  
| AGI: 65  
| INT: 57  
| WIS: 21  
| LUK: 23

"No surprises there, little nerd," Wind teases. Rain just gives him a placid look.

Really, even aside from the physical dissimilarities, there are so many ways in which the three brothers couldn't be more different.

"You seem rather threatened by my intelligence, Wind. I'm starting to think you have an inferiority complex."

In others, they're exactly the same.

"So after you turn eighteen, you guys spend half the day inside a time barrier?" I ask. As far as I'm able to determine, that seems to be the general rule.

"Of course not, everyone would be much older if they did that," Sun-il responds like the asshole he is. I roll my eyes.

"You know what I mean," I retort in a tone that means _I will hit you if you keep this up_.

"I'm not sure I do. It's hard to translate moron to normal," Sun-il unsurprisingly takes the bait.

I punch the asshole's arm. He chuckles.

"Yeah, we do," he answers my original question.

"Why?" I ask, because really, why would they do that? Doesn't that mean their lifespan is a lot shorter? In real time, I mean.

"Isn't it obvious?" Sun-il returns as though he isn't needling me on purpose.

"There are various reasons for this particular ratio, and to explain them all would take far more time than we currently have. It requires a background knowledge of our history you currently lack," their grandfather says before I can hit Sun-il again. "I would prefer to focus on your training first," he finishes with a faintly bemused look that sends shivers down my spine.

"What does Grandfather's information say?" Sae-young interrupts, impatient and almost vibrating in place with curiosity.

Her question makes Sun-il and Wind turn towards me with extreme interest as well, while Rain looks openly curious once more Their grandfather remains a bastion of serenity, but there's laughter in his gaze when he glances towards his grandchildren.

My own curiosity is at an all time high. He's the only one aside from Mom who has a mystery level.

| Name: Shin Sun-oh  
| Class: Chunbumoon's Head  
| Title: Protector Of Seoul  
| Job: Clan Head (Chunbumoon)/Head Of The Shin Dojo  
| Race: Human  
| Gender: Male  
| Age: 156

| Level: ?  
| HP: ?  
| MP: ?

| STR: ?  
| VIT: ?  
| AGI:?  
| INT: ?  
| WIS: ?  
| LUK: ?

| Observe has risen by 1!

"You're _one hundred and fifty-six years old?_ " I exclaim incredulously, not bothering to read out anything else. I suppose that I should've seen this coming, given that their grandfather is– that I thought he was seventy-two years old. It's just that I hadn't thought through what that must mean if he spends half his time in illusion barriers.

Even if I had, he's a _one hundred and fifty-six years old_. Gamer's Mind or not, who wouldn't be caught off guard by that?

His grandchildren, because all of them are looking at me with amusement. Well, Rain is inscrutable, but given his warped sense of humor, I just know that he finds this funny as well.

Sun-il's grin says _this is just as entertaining as I thought it would be_.

Is longevity a consequence of being a user? Or is it something exclusive to their clan?

I ask.

"It depends on the ability. Some users live longer, some don't. But yes, training ki makes you live longer," Sun-ll replies, even more amused than before.

"A lot longer," Sae-young adds cheerfully.

"On average, members of our clan have a lifespan of about a century in real life," Rain actually explains, unlike the other two.

Wait, that means they live two centuries in total? That's amazing!

Also, there's something that absolutely has to be said out loud.

"You're so _old_." If an age of a century and a half doesn't qualify as being old, I don't know what does.

"Old? Young lady, I still have several decades left, and I am counting those in real time," their grandfather counters, indignant in a pretty hilarious way and his entire statement ruined by calling me a young lady.

"Tell us Grandfather's info," Sae-young interrupts before I can say just that. Her words make the others look at me with extreme interest again, silently urging me to comply. Their grandfather looks pretty curious as well.

I tell them.

"Damn, I really wanted to know the numbers," Wind says with some genuine disappointment, a rare occurrence.

"Do you know why you cannot determine his level?" Rain asks.

I shrug. "No idea, but I can't read Mom's either," I says with a pointed glance at Sun-il. _See, it's not because of our blood relation_.

"You'll probably discover why later on. You're still a noob after all," Sun-il counters in a tone that means _it still can be. Only morons consider themselves an expert on their power after mere days_.

I ignore the fact that he has a point and roll my eyes instead.

"I believe that is enough information for now. The time has come for you to begin your training, Jee-han," their grandfather says with a gentle cheer that causes worry to rise to the point of becoming muted. "Let us start with the basics," he finishes with a faint smile.

| Quest: Survive Getting Through The Basics!

This is going to hurt.

* * *

 **AN:** I'm kind of frustrated that I, again, didn't manage to get to the actual training. Hopefully my muse won't abandon me before the next chapter is finished, because that one really does contain actual training.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed! Sun-il and his family were very fun to write :)


	8. Chapter 8

It does hurt. Oh, how it hurts.

I have to run and jump, do push-ups, crunches, squats, contort my body in the most excruciating of ways, hold those poses for an agonizing amount of time, and so much more. At first so that their grandfather can determine my physical limits, but he soon decides to just spend the morning conditioning my body instead.

The reason for his decision is that my limits keep improving by testing them. The exercises are rapidly increasing my strength, vitality and agility.

Given the pain they also put me in, it's very satisfying to see that Sun-il is not merely impressed, he's even a little envious over my rate of improvement. Naturally, I tease him about this. Naturally, he takes revenge by informing his grandfather that I only need half an hour to recover from physical exhaustion.

It's not that I'm _against_ him doing that, exactly, I want to get stronger as quickly as possible. But I can't feel any gratitude for it either.

Not with the sadist that is his grandfather in charge of my training.

Though it is interesting to discover that even when I'm pushed to the point of literal collapse, I still don't need more than half an hour to recover completely. Emphasis on completely. While pain needs an entire thirty minutes to fade, I'm physically capable of being tortured again after fifteen minutes.

Another interesting thing is I no longer sweat in a normal way. I never produce more than a light sheen of perspiration, no matter how much I'm tortured.

I find out all these things after Sae-young and Wind have already left. Sae-young because she's bored and Wind because he has to _prepare his minions to take over the world!_ This is followed by the genuinely disturbing evil laugh Wind can pull off, and it's even more hair raising than usual because of the way he slowly fades from view while that evil laughs echoes ominously throughout the endless room.

It might've been alarming if Wind didn't teach elementary school kids.

As for Rain, he stays and interrogates me about my power in even greater detail than Sun-il has. Normally I wouldn't have minded, I can talk about my ability forever. It's just that awesome.

However, at the moment, I'm also being tortured. Expending brainpower at the same time actually manages to make that torture even worse.

I still answer his questions. Rain won't stop pestering me until I do.

"Of the people you've encountered, what are their average levels, sorted by age?"

Roughly speaking, kids have levels between one and two, teenagers between three and six, and adults between six and ten. Though the students I saw here when I arrived, all teens, are higher than average, having levels between seven and eleven.

"What about the levels of our clan? Who have you already seen? What were their classes?"

Not counting Sun-il, his brothers, Sae-young and their grandfather, I've only seen five others, all adults I'm only familiar with in passing. I tell Rain their names, levels and classes.

"How does it feel when you active Fool's Act or Power Strike?"

"Do you feel it when they increase in level?"

"Do you feel it when your overall level increases?"

"Do you feel it when individual values increase?"

"What do your passive skills feel like?"

On and on the interrogation goes, but eventually Rain is satisfied and leaves as well.

Sun-il also leaves, but that's just so he can go get a mountain of snacks. When he returns with his sugary junk food, he shares half with his grandfather. Sun-il offers me some energy bars as well, but I decline. I'm not hungry.

My reply causes an unexpected reaction.

"What do you mean, you're not hungry?" Sun-il demands with incredulous disbelief. I don't need to look at him to know what expression he's wearing.

"I mean, I'm not hungry," I whimper back as I do my best not to move a single muscle, straining to keep my balance. An incredible challenge, given the agonizing position I'm contorted into.

"That's impossible." The sheer intensity of his words surprises me into turning my head towards him. Which is enough for me to lose my balance and make me fall to the floor with a yelp.

Fun times.

"I'm a videogame character, but me not being hungry is what's impossible?" I manage to find the energy to counter without moving from my sprawled position on the floor. I'm savoring this moment of respite.

"Yes! You've been training, intensively, for two hours now. You should be starving!" Sun-il returns, sounding truly disturbed. He enters my line of sight, and as his tone has already revealed, he's frowning.

"I'm not," I answer, grateful that I don't have to deal with hunger on top of my aching everything.

Sun-il becomes further disturbed, and I even see some rising anxiety. I have no idea why he's becoming anxious, but it isn't pleasant to see.

"She needs a full examination," he tells his grandfather like I'm not here.

"It's so nice to be talked about like I'm not here," I retort on habit, wondering why this is such a big deal. Well, food is always a big deal for Sun-il and his family, but this is extreme even for him.

"Jee-han, this is serious," Sun-il snaps in a tone that means _for once I genuinely wish you weren't such a moron_.

For once, I decide not to hit him. I won't ruin this wonderful moment of rest by moving. "Sure it is," I drawl instead.

Sun-il actually glares, and even though I know that means this is truly serious, I can't help but be amused. Sun-il is dealing a lot worse with my newfound magic than I am. It's funny to see him be so out of it.

"Sun-il is correct, this is a serious matter," his grandfather says before Sun-il can snap at me for being amused. I find the energy to turn my head towards him.

"Why is it so important?" I ask and ignore Sun-il's frustrated sigh that means _you're hopeless, you really are_. I'm not hopeless. It's just that right now it takes a conscious effort to think things through because of my aching everything, and seeing as this isn't a life or death situation, I don't feel the need to expend that effort. Sun-il and his grandfather can do the thinking for me.

"Your body should be demanding nutrients after exertion like this," his grandfather helpfully explains. "The fact that yours is not doing so has certain... implications." His actual hesitation makes some worry start to rise. It's an even greater indicator of the gravity of the situation than Sun-il's glare was.

Now it's worth the effort to think things through. A little, at least.

"Bad implications?" I ask the most important thing first.

Sun-il and his grandfather share a glance that holds a thousand different meanings, and I only manage to pick up on one because of how well I know Sun-il.

 _Should we explain this to her in detail, or not?_

I scowl. Seriously, he snaps at me for not getting why this is important, but then doesn't want to explain the reason to me? Hypocrite.

Before I can demand that they explain, his grandfather continues talking.

"With the information currently in my possession, I feel confident to conclude that your immediate health is not in danger."

Great to know. Though the fact that he feels the need to specify my _immediate_ health is worrisome. Still, the knowledge that I'm not in danger right now means that my aching everything returns to being the most important thing.

"However," his grandfather continues. "I would prefer you undergo a full examination before I go into further detail. At present, I can only offer speculation. It would be better to spend our remaining time in a more productive way. Such as having you resume holding the tower stance."

A sadist, he's a complete and utter sadist.

"When are you going to examine me?" I ask instead of doing as I'm told.

"I assume that you are planning to return tomorrow?" his grandfather more declares than asks, but I still go through the effort of giving a nod of confirmation. "Then you will be examined tomorrow morning. Min-jun needs to be informed," he finishes not to me but to Sun-il, who is preparing to protest to his decision.

Sun-il swallows down his words and his expression tightens in a way that means he isn't happy about this, but he relents to his grandfather's will with a soft sigh.

Well, if Sun-il agrees, I suppose I can wait until tomorrow as well. No matter how curious I am about these "certain implications".

"Now, Jee-han. Resume holding the tower stance," the sadist orders with a sternness that lets me know there'll be consequences if I don't.

With a groan, I get back to my feet and painfully contort my body once more. I also try to think of something to lift Sun-il's mood. Act like normal?

Any other time, that wouldn't difficult to do. Right now, it takes more than a few moments before I can manage.

"You know, it makes sense that I don't need to eat anymore," I muse out loud after I feel that I'm no longer in too much danger of falling over. "Or drink," I continue, because while I've already drained two large bottles of water, I did so for the refreshing taste and not out of a sense of thirst.

"In what world does that make sense?" Sun-il returns, no longer anxious but with a tired weariness that's just as unpleasant to see. Well, hear, my position means that I can't look at him without ruining my balance.

"The world of videogames," I reply, for once not using a tone that's insulting in an effort to be comforting. "Think about it, characters only eat something to restore health or mana. Or to get buffs."

Sun-il lets out a snort that's a little amused but mostly tired. I'm great at offering comfort as ever.

"Jee-han, the position of your right leg is too low," the sadist decides to torture me some more. But it makes Sun-il let out a real chuckle, so I can't complain about it.

I can complain when Sun-il so kindly helps me correct my position to a more agonizing one.

| The diligent practice of maintaining your balance has increased AGI by 1!

At least my torture is paying off.

All in all, the morning passes by with a surprising lack of magic. Well no, it doesn't, my body is improving at an impossible speed. Still, the exercises I'm doing can't really be called magical. Aside from training Power Strike and Fool's Act until my mana runs every time I reach the point of collapse.

Fun fact, my active skills aren't affected by physical exhaustion. Or, well, a lack of stamina, I suppose. Also, now that I know with absolute certainty that Power Strike doesn't hurt Sun-il, I enjoy hitting the asshole with it. Unfortunately, I won't be able to do it forever. Not only does the skill get more powerful with every level it gains, it gets a little stronger whenever my strength increases as well.

Obviously, I have to make the most of the time I have left.

During my torture, I learn some more things about magic. Such as the fact that, yes, Sun-il's family's rainbow gene is caused by their magic. Well, I eventually learn this, because Sun-il is an asshole like that.

"What do you mean?" he returns with false innocence after I ask about their weird coloring.

"Sun-il. Your hair is naturally green," I try to make him understand for the millionth time while simultaneously attempting to ignore the knives butchering my ribs. When he keeps pretending not to understand my point, I elaborate between carefully regulated huffs and puffs.

| The continuous use of breathing exercises has increased VIT by 1!

"Rain's hair and eyes are red as rubies, Sae-young's hair is the color of the sky, and Wind's is blue tipped with yellow." Not blonde, yellow. Though Wind's eyes are a normal brown at least.

As for Sae-young's blue eyes, while they're extremely unusual, the color still falls within the realm of being possible. If you don't know that she has no foreign ancestry, at least.

The color of her hair, not so much. That's without getting into the weird shapes some of this family's hair takes. Wind and his vertical growing strands are the most glaring example, but Sun-il's own straddles the very edge of plausibility. While it's not gravity defying like Wind's is, it's spiky in a way that should require ages of careful styling and heaps of gel.

It doesn't. That really is how his hair grows naturally.

"And this is remarkable because..." Sun-il drawls in a tone that means _I didn't think it possible, but you've turned out to be an even bigger moron than I thought you were_.

I Power Strike the asshole's arm, no matter that I'm supposed to save my mana for when I collapse and I can feel a collapse soon coming up. This is worth it.

The asshole chuckles and continues to keep pace with disgusting ease. He doesn't even have the decency to pretend that this is taking him the least bit of effort.

"Those colors aren't normal," I wheeze back in a tone that means _I don't know if you're yanking my chain or if you're just an idiot. I'm leaning towards the latter_.

The asshole chuckles. "I didn't think you actually needed me to tell you it's because we're users. It's kind of obvious," he mocks.

"Excuse me for wanting confirmation," I gasp back, unimpressed.

He shakes his head with such disappointment. "Really, I should've realized you'd need to have the obvious spelled out."

"Need to have the obvious _confirmed_ ," I pant with the silent addition of _big difference, asshole_.

He gives a patronizing smile. _Of course there is_.

I punch his arm the normal way.

"Why don't people find that odd?" I gasp one of the questions that's been bothering me since... well, since the moment I met him.

Seriously, most of the time I seem to be the only one who even notices that there's anything unusual about him having green hair. His eyes can be excused, while they're a pure gold, they pass for an oddly light brown most of the time, given their usual narrowed state.

My question makes Sun-il turn unexpectedly discomforted and reluctant.

It's his grandfather who answers.

"Normal people both instinctively recognize and ignore the supernatural. While they do notice when something is out of the ordinary, they rationalize it away as well. It is not infallible, if one does something that blatantly defies the rules of the world as they know it, they will take note. But small things, such as an unusual appearance, are ignored."

That... explains so much, actually.

It doesn't explain Sun-il's reaction.

So I gasp "The reason you don't want to talk about this is..."

Sun-il becomes even more discomforted and glances at his grandfather, a plea for him to take over.

His grandfather looks back serenely. I deduce from Sun-il's reaction that this means his plea has been denied.

Hesitantly, Sun-il starts talking. "...Like Grandfather said, normals instinctively recognize when something or someone is supernatural. They just as instinctively ignore it. This extends not just to users, but to strong talents as well. Which means normals... have a strong tendency to avoid those people."

 _Like you_.

Oh.

The thing is, I don't enjoy interacting with most people. I don't enjoy chatting about homework or families, clothes, movies, celeberties, the news, and all those other things.I don't have a problem with this, I like who I am, and I like the few friends I do have. But...

But when I was little, my difficulty in making lasting friends sometimes hurt. I have Sun-il of course, and his family as well, but whenever I try to connect with other people, it's always so hard to succeed. The troubles aren't all from my side either. While I'm usually uninterested in conversation, there are a few topics I can go on about forever.

Yet even when I have fun conversations with someone, even when I feel like the other person isn't just enjoying themselves but is actually interested in me... the next day they always ignore me. Yes, when I approach them, they're happy to see me and we continue building on our previous interaction, but...

But aside from a few rare cases, which I now realize means that those people were users or talents, they never reach out to me first. I'm the one who always has to start the conversation, suggest we meet up somewhere, mention upcoming birthdays just so I'll get an invitation. I'm the one who has to not just reach out, but keep reaching out if I don't want them to start ignoring me. It never gets easier, I can be friends with someone for months, a year even, yet the moment I stop reaching out, that's it. Our friendship is over and I never hear from them again.

Eventually, I came to the conclusion that it just isn't worth the effort. Not when the friends I do have fulfill all my desire for company and then some.

I'm still so relieved to learn that my difficulty in making friends isn't because there's something wrong with me, as a small part of me I always did my best to ignore couldn't help but fear.

Sun-il is cautiously watching my reaction, but as I come out of my musings, I realize that he's also nervous and trying to hide it.

I roll my eyes and gently punch the insecure asshole's arm. "I'm not mad. Or hurt," I add when my words don't make him relax. Thankfully, that's enough reassurance for him. He gives a warm smile.

"Good to know," he says. I smile back.

Really, why would I be mad or hurt about this? Not only does Sun-il have the same difficulty as me, which makes so much sense now, but he's always helped me as best he can whenever I do try to reach out to other people. Once, he spend an entire day helping me make blinged out invitations for my birthday party, because I was seven going on eight and thought everything not drowning in glitter was lame. He also convinced everyone I invited to actually come, something I could've never achieved on my own. Persuasion has never been my strong point.

It was the most sparkletastic birthday party ever. Mom and Dad really went all out.

So no, I'm not angry or hurt about this. Sun-il might've known the reason behind both our difficulties, but he's never discouraged me from reaching out to others. The opposite, in fact.

Also, while it's true that I have to put in a constant effort in order to maintain a friendship, this doesn't mean that I _can't_ make friends. It just means that it takes more effort than I'm willing to expend.

"Sun-il," his grandfather calls, and when I turn my head towards him, I see that he's looking at Sun-il with warm eyes. When he meets my own gaze however, the sadist becomes a little bemused. "If you would be so kind as to correct Jee-han's breathing? She has lost her rhythm."

Ah yes, I almost managed to forget that we're in the middle of sprinting laps. Not running, sprinting.

The reminder makes the knives butchering my ribs even more painful.

Sun-il chuckles, before he starts breathing with exaggerated loudness, still keeping pace with such disgusting ease. I match my breathing to his.

Just for the break it's going to provide, I'm really looking forward to my upcoming collapse.

* * *

 **AN:** I present, actual training! Finally!


	9. Chapter 9

Sun-il leaves again to get lunch, intending for us to eat it inside the illusion barrier. I'm very surprised by this. Not because we'll be having lunch in a magical space, but because we won't be having it in the communal dining hall. Not room, hall, because this compound is ridiculously large like that.

When asked why we aren't going to eat there, I discover that aside from his grandfather and his grandchildren, the rest of his family doesn't know about my newfound power, and his grandchildren only know because they were present when Sun-il first broke the news. For now, they want as little people possible know about my ability, which means avoiding the common areas. Not forever, just until I can no longer be overpowered by even the weakest of users.

In other words, they want my power to remain secret until I'm no longer a complete noob.

When Sun-il goes to get food, his grandfather leaves as well. He has some business to attend to, no further explanation given. Nice to see that while some things are different, others are still the same.

While waiting for Sun-il to return, I take the glorious opportunity to just lay down the floor and do nothing until the worst of the pain has faded. Then I check out Power Strike and Fool's Act.

| Power Strike (Active)  
| LV: 15 – EXP 46,98%  
| Cost: 10 MP  
| Strikes the target with a strong force.  
| 29% increase in critical rate. 600% increase in attack damage.

| Fool's Act (Active)  
| LV: 18 – EXP: 74,25%  
| Cost: 5 MP  
| Movements that make the target doubt the mental integrity of the user.  
| Has a chance to confuse the target for 3 seconds.

It's a shame that the odds of confusing someone doesn't have a precise number. Though my grinding has improved those unknown odds greatly. At first, neither Sun-il nor his grandfather became confused even after doing it ten times in a row, but now they freeze about once every eight times or so.

Sun-il fades back into view with a humongous amount of food and gives me a normal sized meal and some water to wash my hands with. While I might no longer need food, I still enjoy eating it.

After finishing my meal, I check out my stats.

| Name: Han Jee-han  
| Class: The Gamer  
| Level: 6 – Next Level: 17,54%

| HP: 240/240  
| MP: 140/140

| STR: 20  
| VIT: 21  
| AGI: 23  
| INT: 17  
| WIS: 9  
| LUK: 9

| Points: 10  
| Money: ₩ 2500

I'm proud of myself. My strength, vitality and agility have practically doubled. This kind of improvement in just one morning is amazing. Though I know I won't be able to keep this rate for much longer. After a stat hits twenty, it becomes a lot harder to level.

Looking at my new stats, there's only one conclusion I can come to.

My power is _awesome_.

"You do realize you sound like a noob, right?" Sun-il mocks after I proudly inform him of my improvements.

"I am a noob. When it comes to my power," I add with an unimpressed look as Sun-il opens his mouth to misinterpret that statement. He closes it with a chuckle, before taking another bite from the mountain of food he dares to call a light lunch.

I really am a noob when it comes to my power. That isn't an insult, I love being a noob. Or rather, I love getting a new game and discovering how it works, love figuring out the mechanics and experimenting with them. Of course, in many ways my power is nothing like a game. For one, I'm not controlling a character, I am the character. For another, it's real.

In other ways it's _exactly_ like a game. The most amazing one possible.

So because I'm a noob, and because I'm finally pain-free for the first time since the torture started, I bend through my knees and jump as high as I can.

Wow!

I land on my feet with stunning ease, like I didn't just jump at least twice as high as I've ever been able to manage!

"Sun-il, did you see that? Did you see how high I went?" I demand while bouncing on my heels, giddy with the wonder of it all.

"Yes, Jee-han, I saw. I'm sitting right in front of you," he replies with a fond smile. I laugh and jump as high as I can once more.

This is too awesome for words.

"You'll go even higher if you take a running start," Sun-il encourages my noob behavior, and with a huge grin I do just that.

I fool around until Sun-il finishes his monster lunch. It's especially fun to do cartwheels at a giddily fast speed, not in the least because I can do it without stopping for as long as I like. One of the things revealed by the grinding from hell is that I don't get dizzy anymore.

Right after Sun-il finishes his monster lunch, his grandfather returns, which is odd. Well, kind of odd. I'm used to his grandfather appearing with inexplicably perfect timing, but to learn that it even extends to when we're inside an illusion barrier? How on earth does he manage that?

The answer is interesting. Since he's the one who created the illusion barrier, he's constantly aware of what's going on inside it. Not that he can hear our conversation, but he has a good sense of what we're doing physically.

I make a mental note to never do anything secret inside a barrier not created by myself. Because that's the next part of my training, learning how to create illusion barriers.

As it turns out, illusion barriers are _ridiculously_ easy to make. I just have to hold out a hand, imagine that my energy is flowing into it, and wish really, really hard for an illusion barrier.

No, seriously. That's all I need to do. I don't need to do anything special to draw Sun-il and his grandfather into the barrier with me, either. When a barrier is created near other users, they're automatically dragged inside it. Though what counts as "near" varies greatly from user to user. Or rather, it varies according to the skill they have at creating illusion barriers.

Sun-il and his grandfather are standing close enough to be dragged in even when the barrier is created by a noob like me. They can resist the effect if they so choose, but they aren't going to do that now.

I hold out a hand and imagine that energy is flowing into it.

| Multiple skills have been created through a special action!

| Mana Manipulation (Passive)  
| LV: 1 – EXP: 0,0%  
| The ability to manipulate mana directly. The higher the skill, the less mana it costs.

| Energy Bolt (Active)  
| LV: 1 – EXP: 0,0%  
| Cost: 5 MP  
| A skill that attacks by emitting mana.  
| Attack power increases by INT. Range: 10m.

I stare. Seriously? I've been trying out so many different things in order to get another skill, and I could've gotten an actual spell just by doing this?

I'm starting to think that my power has a sense of humor.

| Your habit of making astute observations has increased WIS by 1!

If that isn't confirmation, I don't know what is. It's also flattering, because it says my _habit_ of making astute observations.

Though this does raise a very important question. Is my power sentient? After all, if my best friend can belong to a family of magical super monks descended from a god, literally anything and everything is possible.

My power doesn't feel sentient, though. In fact, it doesn't feel like anything at all. Without the notifications and the text above people's heads, I wouldn't even have noticed that there's anything different about me. Well, I wouldn't have noticed at first.

My power doesn't act like it's sentient either, it acts like it follows a set of pre-existing rules I'm still in the process of figuring out. All of which doesn't change the fact that my power just replied to my thoughts. Or maybe reacted?

Is it sentient? Conscious? Alive?

...Hello?

There's no reply. Which doesn't mean that my power isn't sentient, it could've chosen to keep silent on purpose. Because it has a sense of humor.

"What happened?" Sun-il asks, pulling me out of my thoughts. I wonder how he even knows something has happened, but then I remember that while I'm the only one who can see the notifications, other people can see me react to them.

"I got two new skills and now I'm wondering whether my power is sentient or not," I summarize. Sun-il looks at me in a way that means he's trying to figure out how those two things are related and the effort has confused him into speechlessness. Go me.

"Why do believe your ability might be sentient?" his grandfather asks with mild curiosity. The fact that he acts like the possibility of my power being sentient isn't unusual says a lot about magic in general.

"I was thinking that my power seems to have a sense of humor, and as soon as I did I got a notification saying _your habit of making astute observations has increased wisdom by one!_ " I finish in a perky voice, because that's what I imagine the notifications sound like. The exclamation marks just make them feel so cheerful.

My power is cute. And awesome. And amazing. And wonderful. And brilliant. And just about every other positive description in existence.

"Clearly your ability is glitching," Sun-il mocks on habit, still struggling to process my words even with the added clarification. And he calls me a moron.

"Your ability replies to your thoughts?" his grandfather asks, still showing nothing but mild curiosity.

"This is the first time," I reply. His grandfather lets out a pensive hum.

"Your examination should answer whether it is sentient or not," he decides, closing the topic for now. I'm not exactly happy about that, but I guess I can wait until tomorrow. "Now, resume your training," he orders sternly, making me straighten my back on instinct.

"Wait, what skills did you get?" Sun-il asks, finally coming out of his state of confusion.

"Unless they are relevant to the creation of illusion barriers, you will tell us after you have created your own," his grandfather commands before I can answer. He doesn't believe in silly things like getting sidetracked.

Obediently, I raise my hand again and imagine that my energy is flowing into it. I wish for an illusion barrier really, really hard.

As time continues to pass without success, I start feeling ridiculous.

"You are losing focus. Keep concentrating on your desire to create an illusion barrier," his grandfather instructs, because why shouldn't he be able to tell that I'm no longer wishing for a barrier with all of my heart.

I kind of want to close my eyes, I think that would make it easier, at least a little, to wish with the necessary intensity.

I want to see myself create an illusion barrier a lot more.

I refocus on my wish to create a barrier and don't allow myself to become distracted by the ridiculousness of it all.

Finally, after it feels like a small eternity has passed, the world shifts.

| A skill has been created through a special action!

| ID Create (Active)  
| LV: 1 – EXP: 1,11%  
| Used to create Instant Dungeons.  
| Stronger Instant Dungeons may be created at higher levels.

Nice! I really hope that leveling this will let me make barriers, or dungeons I suppose, where I can manipulate time. That would be so cool.

"I did it," I say with satisfaction, looking around the soundless replica of the garden.

"Not bad for a first time," Sun-il says and for once it's a sincere compliment. "You'll be able to create them faster from now on, though it'll take a lot of practice before you can do it instantly," he finishes with a smile.

I give him a smug look. "No it won't. I just got another skill, called ID Create. ID stands for Instant Dungeon. Guess what it does?" I brag.

Sun-il stares at me, stunned. But not stunned to the point of speechlessness. "You mean creating illusion barriers is an actual _skill_ to you?" He shakes his head with disbelief.

Part of me wants to ask why he emphasizes that word so much, and also ask why this is apparently so odd. Both to Sun-il and his grandfather, because his grandfather has raised a brow with slight incredulity.

Most of me wants to try out my very first spell. So I lift a hand, aim my palm at a tree and say "Energy Bolt."

For a fraction of a moment I swear I feel something gather in my palm, but before I can do more than begin to become aware of the sensation, blue light explodes from my hand.

I gasp with wonder as the ball of light impacts against the tree hard enough to splinter bark, leaving a scorch mark behind.

"What the f–heck?" Sun-il's startled exclamation, corrected just in time to avoid the wrath of his grandfather, makes me turn towards him with a huge grin.

"I got my first spell!" I practically squeal while hopping in place. This is too awesome to share in any other way.

" _That's_ one of your new skills? What's the other?" Sun-il demands, but I'm focused on far more important matters.

"Mana manipulation, it's passive and lets me manipulate mana directly," I answer while taking aim at another tree. "Energy Bolt!"

The second time is even more incredible than the first. I laugh with delight.

"Energy Bolt, Energy Bolt, Energy Bolt!"

This is the most amazing thing I've ever experienced, it really is.

"Jee-han," his grandfather calls, and I turn towards him with a grin I couldn't wipe off my face even if I wanted to. "If you would be so kind as to fire an Energy Bolt at me?"

My grin drops. "I'm not going to shoot you," I tell him, incredulous. Yes, I realize that it probably won't hurt him, but I'm not going to take the risk of being proven wrong. Power Strike might be safe, but that's a physical attack. Who knows what a magical one will do?

"You think you can hurt him?" Sun-il asks with a growing smile that means _that's like a mouse thinking it can hurt a dragon_.

"While I am warmed by your concern, I assure you, your attack will not harm me," his grandfather says with a dryness that I don't hear often before I can punch Sun-il.

I hesitate. Assurance or not, I just don't feel comfortable doing this.

"Jee-han, fire an Energy Bolt at me," his grandfather orders with a sternness that makes it impossible to disobey. Best to get this over with.

"Energy Bolt," I say and watch nervously as the ball of blue light shoots towards his grandfather.

His grandfather catches it. As in, he brings up a hand and the bolt halts mid-air right before it would've impacted against his palm. Good to know I was worrying over nothing.

His grandfather looks at the ball of energy with an intensity that makes it seem like it holds the answer to all of life's mysteries. He brings up his free hand.

He pokes the ball of light. I snort, involuntarily amused.

I just fired off a blast of pure magic, and now his grandfather is poking it. It's so odd as to be hilarious.

Well, he's sort of poking it. He doesn't actually touch the energy itself. It's like there's an invisible bubble holding it in place, and when his grandfather pokes it, there's still some space left between his fingers and the bolt. His touch does make it move a little, but it's like touching a bag of water. It distorts the shape, but as the pressure's gone, the bolt returns to being a sphere.

It's really fascinating to see Energy Bolt like this. The color is still a bright blue, but now that it's being held in place, I can see that it isn't uniform. Different shades of electric blue are constantly shifting into one another, and tiny arcs of what seems to be lightning crackle over the surface. It's mesmerizing to watch.

I repeat, my power is _awesome_.

Sun-il moves towards his grandfather and gives the Energy Bolt a curious poke as well. I follow and do the same. Oddly enough, I don't feel anything. It's no different than poking air.

I decide to try something else.

"Observe."

| Energy Bolt  
| A bolt of pure energy. It is being held in place through the use of ki.

I suppose I should've realized that his grandfather is using ki. I had in a subconscious kind of way, given that I don't feel any surprise over this. His grandfather doesn't seem to be using ki, though. It seems like the Energy Bolt has simply chosen to hover in front of his palm of its own free will, with no particular effort on his grandfather's part.

"What does it say?" Sun-il asks. I read the description out loud.

"How literal," he quips in a tone that means _of course your ability feels the need to state the obvious_.

I absently punch his arm, more focused on the Energy Bolt. It's even more mesmerizing up close.

Sun-il chuckles. "Your ability is amazing," he says with a sincerity that makes me turn my gaze towards him.

"Damn straight it is," I confirm.

"It is indeed exceptional," his grandfather agrees, making me straighten with pride. It's nice to get validation of the sheer awesomeness that is my power. Not that I need validation to realize just how magnificent it is, but it's still nice to hear.

His grandfather closes his hand and the movement snuffs out Energy Bolt like it was never there. "We will train this skill after finishing our lesson on illusion barriers," he declares, and resumes my training without any further ado.

Breaking barriers is just as ridiculously easy as creating them is. The only difference is that I have to wish really, really hard to get out of one.

This time I'm expecting the new skill.

| ID Escape (Active)  
| LV: 1 – EXP: 1,11%  
| Used to escape Instant Dungeons.  
| Stronger Instant Dungeons may be escaped at higher levels.

That skill is even more important than ID Create. Why? Because while I'll always be able to break my own dungeons, I won't always be able to escape barriers created by someone else.

His grandfather demonstrates this by creating another endless training room for me to try to escape from.

"ID Escape."

| ID Escape is too low to escape this Dungeon!

So, even more important than ID Create. I can't get out of a dangerous situation if I can't escape the barrier I'm in, after all.

Sun-il and his grandfather agree with my assessment, but instead of training my dungeons skills, his grandfather wants me to train Energy Bolt until I ran out of mana first. I can train my dungeon skills while waiting for my mana to recover afterwards. It's very handy that neither skill costs any mp.

Then my attention is hijacked by his grandfather creating target dummies out of thin air.

Well, not thin air exactly. After laughing at my reaction, Sun-il explains that his grandfather has manipulated the energies that form the illusion barrier into taking different shapes. Something only possible to do for the creator of the barrier.

I train Energy Bolt until I run out of mana, making it rise to level four and revealing some interesting things in the process.

The most useful thing is that I don't need to aim at whatever I want to hit, only have to think of a target. When I shoot a bolt in the opposite direction of the target I have in mind, the bolt curves through the air to hit it. The blasts can't make sharp turns, but when given enough space, they always manage to find their target.

If there are obstacles in the way of my target, my bolts do their best to avoid it, going around, over, or even under them, depending on what kind of obstacle it is. While it's a shame that my bolts suck at turning, the fact that they're so persistent in hitting my intended target is an incredible advantage.

I will never again turn off Auto-targeting. I did so briefly to confirm the obvious conclusion that this setting is the cause for my perfect aim, but now that I have that confirmation, I'm going to leave it on forever. I might enjoy a lack of auto-targeting in games, but this is real life. I'd be an idiot to give up any advantage, but especially one as huge as this.

After my mana runs out, I train ID Create and ID Escape. I discover that those two are frustratingly difficult to level. I spend the entire hundred minutes needed to regain all my mp doing nothing but making the world shift and shatter. The result?

Both skills reach level three.

Grinding these two skills is going to be boring. I'm going to do it of course, the skills are too vital not to. Still. Boring.

Very, very boring.

I convey this to Sun-il in silence. My grinding means that I'm incapable of saying anything other than "ID Create," and "ID Escape."

Sun-il offers such false pity for this bleak prospect, and then the asshole actually has the nerve to take a nap! Oh, he says that he's meditating, but who meditates by laying down, crossing their hands beneath their head and closing their eyes?

I kick him without interrupting the mind numbing task of constant dungeon creating and breaking.

Soon after Sun-il starts napping, or rather, pretends to nap, the sadists leaves with the message that he'll be back soon and a firm instruction for me to continue practicing.

I take the opportunity to gently kick Sun-il a few times, just to lessen my boredom the tiniest bit. Sun-il keeps pretending to be asleep, but the amusement he's trying to hide betrays him.

I'm glad to see him this relaxed. It's the most at ease I've seen him be since I told him about my power.

When the sadist returns, he's carrying a large box with him, but I don't discover what's in it until I've recovered the last of my mana and am finally allowed to halt my grinding. Which is also when Sun-il stops pretending to be asleep.

Inside the box are energy bars. All of them are meant for me. Why?

The sadist has decided that it's time for me to spar. The bars are so that I can quickly recover health. Seventy-five hp per bar, to be exact. An impressive amount.

I make a mental note to carry around a large stash in my inventory from now on. Instant healing is invaluable.

On a far less pleasant note, the fact that the sadist has given me a box that size filled to the rim with them says so much about the pain I'm going to be in.

On the bright side, I'm confident that Physical Resistance is going to level like crazy.


	10. Chapter 10

The thing is, I know self-defense. I've been taught how to create an opening by hitting the places that hurt so I can make a quick escape. I'm not just talking about the obvious things, like kicking someone in the groin.

Fun fact, this hurts girls as well. A lot, if you do it hard enough, though of course it hurts in a completely different way. Girls also have the annoying vulnerability of breasts, because getting those punched hurts like a bitch.

But I know more than obvious self-defense. I know how to get out of people's grasp by dislocating and, or breaking fingers, know how to elbow ribs in a way that knocks all the wind out of them, how to best attack the weak spots like the knees, throat, nose, and in the worst case scenario, the eyes.

Not that I often have to protect myself. The opposite, I've felt the need to physically defend myself maybe a handful of times in my entire life, and only once was the situation so dangerous that I was forced to break fingers.

I felt sick for days afterwards, no matter how much I knew that the scumbag deserved it. I don't like violence. In real life at least. Yes, I hit Sun-il, but he's the only one I do that to, and even before I learned about his power, I knew that my hits didn't really hurt him.

However, while I don't like violence, I do know how to use it in order to protect myself.

Thanks to Sun-il.

Sun-il doesn't fight like I do, of course. I'm a scrapper with a firm handle on the basics. He's a martial artist. Emphasis on artist. The difference in our level of skill is like the difference between a passable cook and a master chef.

Sun-il has never taught me an official style. He's taught me the correct way to punch and kick, how to dodge and catch a blow, how to recover from a fall, basic things like that. It wasn't anything structured. Not because he didn't want to teach me, but because before yesterday I wasn't interested in learning anything more.

Before yesterday, I was confident that I could get out of any situation requiring me to fight relatively unharmed. Why was I so confident?

Above all else, Sun-il taught me to be ruthless when protecting myself.

That's the thing about Sun-il, you'd never guess it just by looking at him, or even by talking to him, but he is absolutely brutal when he fights. He doesn't just go for an opponent's weak spots, he uses their own body against them with intimidating efficiency, and is utterly relentless until they're put down.

Watching Sun-il fight is as terrifying as it is beautiful. And that was before I learned about his power.

He tests me about once a month to ensure that my skills don't go rusty, but it can't be called sparring. Or rather, it can't be called sparring on his part. No matter what I do, he's never in real danger from me. I'm physically incapable of truly harming Sun-il even by accident, and it's my absolute certainty in this that allows me to go full out against him.

Except my ability has caused a sliver of doubt. So when his grandfather orders us to spar, I attack with a hesitancy that makes Sun-il let out a mocking scoff.

"Really? You can do better than this," he says while effortlessly dodge the punch aimed at his throat. "I taught you better than this," he finishes while avoiding the follow up kick to his stomach with a casual spin that turns into a roundhouse kick to my back. Hard enough to make me lose my footing and fall forward with a yelp, but thank to my improved stats, I catch my balance before I hit the floor.

"I don't want to hurt you, asshole," I snap, annoyed at his nonchalance. This is serious.

The asshole snorts. Clearly he finds this to be hilarious. Both my newfound hesitance and the notion that I could actually hurt him.

"Remember yesterday?" he asks while blocking another punch by catching my arm, before he tightens his grip, spins on his heel, bends forward and _heaves_.

I'm thrown over his shoulder so smoothly that I don't even have time to scream before I end up flat on my back.

| -3 HP

"You know, when I punched through solid stone with my bare hands?" the asshole continues while leaning over me with a sunny smile. "I distinctly recall telling you that your pathetic strikes don't hurt me. At all."

I aim a punch at his kneecap. Sun-il dodges by lifting his leg and captures my wrist by stepping down on it. Firmly, but not painfully.

"I lost three hp from being thrown over your shoulder," I inform him while attempting to yank my wrist from underneath his foot, because his grandfather instructed me to say when and how much health I lose. "And hitting you for being an asshole is one thing, spars are another. My power's made me a lot stronger," I finish with a dirty look when I fail to get my wrist free.

Yes, I realize that I'm nowhere near his level, but I've still improved greatly. So while I'm about ninety-nine percent certain that I'm still incapable of harming Sun-il even by accident, the one percent whispering that I could be wrong makes it impossible to give my all.

Sun-il gives a patronizing smile. _That's like a kitten became a cat and now worries about being able to hurt a lion_. Which is an awful comparison to make, because it just proves my entire point. If a cat claws at a lion's eyes, the lion isn't going to walk away unharmed. The odds of the cat pulling it off might be incredibly small, but they're still there.

I tell him this with another dirty look, before I try to grab the ankle of the foot standing down my wrist with my free hand. The plan is to dig my nails into his tendons so that the pressure on my wrist will let up.

My plan fails when Sun-il captures that hand by stepping down on it with his other foot. Now he's standing on both my wrists, and somehow he makes it painless. There's enough pressure that I can't free my hands, but it doesn't hurt in the slightest.

This is new. By which I mean his blatant display of magic, because even with my Gamer's Body, having Sun-il stand on my wrists with his full weight should make me feel some form of discomfort at the very least.

I suppose I should've realized that sparring with him is going to be different from now on.

"You're not taking this serious enough," Sun-il accuses in a light voice, but while he's still smiling, his eyes are hard.

"Excuse me for not wanting to hurt you," I retort, trying to figure out how to get out of this situation. Maybe fire an Energy Bolt at his back? Though I can only do it from one hand, given the palm down position my other is trapped in. The asshole is annoyingly good at multitasking like that.

He's taken out one of my hands to point out a weakness in the skill, but let me keep the other because he wants me to shoot him with it. However, while I'm _almost_ completely certain that he can not only dodge it, but that it won't really harm him even if it does hit, almost means that I don't want to risk it.

Sun-il smile fades, and he lets out a sigh that says he really doesn't want to do whatever it is that he's going to do next.

The pressure on my wrists increases to the point of slight pain.

| -1 HP

| -1 HP

| -1 HP

"Lost one health, lost one health, lost one health," I rattle off before stopping. It's unnecessary to continue, seeing as my health is dropping at a steady rate.

| -1 HP

| -1 HP

| -1 HP

I know Sun-il won't move unless I make him. So I twist my body in a way I couldn't have done before this morning and kick his knee as hard as I can.

| A skill has been created through a special action!

| Power Kick (Active)  
| LV: 1 – EXP: 0,0%  
| Cost: 10 MP  
| Kicks the target with a strong force.  
| 15% increase in critical rate. 50% increase in attack damage.

What? Why– not the time.

| -1 HP

| -1 HP

Sun-il doesn't react to my kick in any way, just keeps looking down on me. Both literally and figuratively.

 _You aren't strong enough to make me move. Right now you're completely helpless, and all I had to do was step down your wrists._

 _You're weak_.

Asshole.

"Power Kick." Sun-il's brow rises slightly at my new skill, but he gives no other sign that he even noticed the hit.

Sparring is going to be very different from now on.

| -1 HP

| -1 HP

I let out a harsh breath. He's right, I need to fight as though this is a real life or death situation. I understand that, I really do. And yet...

| -1 HP

| -1 HP

"Jee-han, if I ever believe Sun-il to be in danger from your attacks, I will intervene." His grandfather's calm statement makes me let out another harsh breath. It's reassuring to hear, no doubt about that, but I'm still only ninety-nine and a half percent certain that I won't be able to accidentally harm Sun-il.

| -1 HP

| -1 HP

Unless I actually go all out and see with my own eyes that I can't hurt him, I'm never going to get that number back to a hundred.

| -1 HP

| -1 HP

Alright. I can do this.

"Energy Bolt, Power Kick." This time I aim my kick at the asshole's junk.

Sun-il dodges the blast to his back by leaning forward and slaps my foot away like it's no more annoying than a fly.

I take note of the fact that the aim of my kick was astonishingly accurate. Yes, my agility has improved greatly, but my mobility is also greatly limited by my current position.

Does auto-targeting extend to physical skills?

"Better. Not good, but better," the asshole insults with a smile while lightening the pressure on my wrists until I stop losing health, though of course he doesn't lighten it enough to be able to free my hands.

Time for a different tactic.

"Fool's Act." Given my position, I'm not so much jerked around as I seem to be having an attack.

I'm in luck, Sun-il freezes, and while the pressure on my wrists increases to the point of losing six hp, I also finally manage to free my hands. Which has the added effect of making him fall backwards like a plank.

"Six," I say while scrambling to my feet, before worry rises to the point of becoming muted as I see that the returning Energy Bolt is about to hit Sun-il and I give a too late mental command to change its course– it scorches the floor, missing Sun-il who is now in the process of lunging through the air at me.

I dodge to the side more on instinct than anything else, have a fleeting thought that wonders how he managed to pull this off, realize that the answer is magic as he flies past me, before I no longer have time to do anything but feel my eyes widen with alarm as one of his hands grasp my arm.

Sun-il gracefully spins his body around in mid-air. While keeping hold of my arm.

Once again, I don't have time to scream before I'm yanked off my feet and thrown flat on my back.

| -5 HP

The asshole lands like he's a damn cat.

"Still not good. Not even passable, actually. But better," he actually has the nerve to say as I get back to my feet.

"Five and screw you," I snap, making Sun-il grin, before he launches himself at me in the exact same move as before.

This time I dodge to the side while raising a hand, and I manage to snatch a fistful of his hair before he can grasp my arm.

I _yank_.

| A skill has been created through a special action!

| Rip (Active)  
| LV: 1 – EXP: 0,0%  
| Cost: 5 MP  
| A skill that rips apart a target with a strong force.  
| Increases tearing force by 30%.

You have got to be kidding– Sun-il, without ever touching the ground, arches his body through the air like gravity is optional and twists his head in a way that forces me to release my grip on his hair. He lands behind me before I can turn around, somehow sweeps me off my feet, and as I start falling forward with a yelp, one of his hands grasps my arm.

He twists my arm so that my palm is pushed flat on my back and places a knee low down my spine while his remaining hand tangles through my hair.

I hit the floor face first.

| -5 HP

"Five, Power Strike," I say while blinding throwing my free fist in his general direction with a desire to punch the wrist of the hand holding my head captive.

I actually hit his wrist full on without clipping my own head.

| Critical hit!

Sun-il rewards me by letting go of my hair. Except it turns out the asshole does it so he can capture my other hand. Now both my palms are pressed against my back, eliminating the option of using Energy Bolt.

However, my punch confirmed that auto-targeting works on physical skills as well. So.

"Power Kick" I say with the intent to hit Sun-il's lower ribs, and discover that the combination of my auto-targeting and improved agility and means that I'm flexible enough to pull it off. Awesome.

Sun-il rewards me by getting off my back with a forwards roll, and because he's annoyingly good at multitasking, he also uses his newfound momentum to aim a kick at my head. One I almost don't see coming.

I barely manage to roll out of the way in time. Then I have to continue rolling across the floor as Sun-il uses his hands to reverse his momentum and springs back to my position feet first. If I hadn't moved, he would've landed on my stomach.

Naturally, the asshole continues flipping towards me like he's a damn gymnast instead of a martial artist, at a speed that forces me to keep up my momentum to prevent his hands or feet from stomping down my stomach or spine.

I feel like a barrel rolling down the street.

| A skill has been created through a special action!

| Dodge Roll (Active)  
| LV: 1 – EXP: 0,0%  
| Cost: 5 MP  
| A technique that lets you skillfully roll out of the way of attacks.  
| 5% increase in speed.

This is getting ridiculous. Helpful, but also ridiculous.

"Dodge Roll," I say with a desire to roll forward instead of to the side as I'm in the process of doing. My body changes momentum in a literal instant, getting me out of the way of Sun-il's flips.

While rolling to my feet with astonishing grace, I blindly shoot an Energy Bolt behind me with the intention to hit Sun-il's chest and spin around just in time to see him dodge it in a move that also obliterates the slight distance I'd gained. I barely manage to raise my arms in time to catch his punch.

| -10 HP

That brutal asshole. This is the most health I've lost in one hit, and thus, it's the most painful hit I've yet to endure. And he aimed it at one of my breasts. Not at my heart or ribs, at my _breast_.

Oh, it's on.

"Ten, Energy Bolt," I fire at his chest at an almost point blank range. Sun-il dodges with a graceful spin that brings him right beside me, and I take the opportunity to slam my elbow into his ribs.

| A skill has been created through a special action!

| Elbow Smash (Active)  
| LV: 1 – EXP: 0,0%  
| Cost: 10 MP  
| Smashes an elbow into a target with a strong force.  
| 30% increase in critical rate. 25% increase in attack damage.

Really ridiculous.

My hit makes Sun-il falter, offering an opening I have no intention of wasting.

"Power Strike," I aim at his throat, and say "Power Kick," with the intention to hit his knee when he catches my hand and starts turning around.

Unfortunately, my kick isn't enough to prevent me from being thrown over his shoulder. Again.

| -3 HP

"Three, Energy Bolt," I fire at his head. While leaning back to dodge it, he kicks at my own head. I use an arm to block while getting back to my feet.

| -2 HP

"Two," I say while he turns his partial descent into a fully fledged backflip to avoid the return of one of the bolts I shot earlier. As it scorches the floor, he launches himself back towards me.

"Dodge Roll." While rolling away, I see from the corner of my eyes that Sun-il places a hand down the floor and seamless corrects his course mid-lunge towards my new position. Still halfway through my magical tumble, I perform a blind Power Kick with the intention to hit whatever part of him is closest.

I miss, though I can't see how because of my position.

Just as I finish rolling to my feet, Sun-il lands right in front of me. I immediately try to knee his groin, am blocked in a move I can't see because of our proximity, and have my arms captured in an unyielding grip.

"Sun-il!" I scream with muted horror as I see that a returning bolt is about to hit his head–

It hits him. And Sun-il doesn't react in the slightest. When the slight smoke clears, I see that he doesn't have a single scratch on him.

He's giving me a gentle look. "Jee-han, you're not going to hurt me."

Just like that, my certainty that I'm incapable of harming him even by accident is back to one hundred. So I try to bite his throat. Sun-il grins as he avoids my snapping teeth by leaning back, but his hold on my arms remains unyielding.

"Energy Bolt," I shoot point blank from one hand, and as he lets go of that arm to spin out of the way with magical speed, I shoot another from my other hand. Sun-il rewards me by letting go of that arm as well, giving me the opportunity to Dodge Roll away as he slaps that bolt to the floor.

I have forty-two mp left and one Energy Bolt in the air. I mentally command it to circle overhead as near as it can while firing another at Sun-il's head when he moves to close the distance between us. Him dodging it buys me enough time to bring up my hand before he reaches me, and I claw at his eyes while commanding the second bolt to circle overhead as well. Sun-il tilts his head to catch my nails on his cheek in a familiar move.

What isn't familiar is that I don't leave scratches behind when my nails rake across his skin.

| A skill has been created through a special action!

| Scratch (Active)  
| LV: 1 – EXP: 0,0%  
| Cost: 5 MP  
| A skill that claws at a target with a strong force.  
| Increases clawing force by 30%.

No longer surprising, still ridiculous.

Sun-il grasps my arm so he can throw me over his shoulder yet again, but there's no way in hell I'm going to let that happen.

"Energy Bolt," I shoot point blank at his head, and Sun-il rewards me by letting go of my arm while leaning out of the way. "Dodge Roll," I say with the intention to roll away backwards, taking the opportunity to put some distance between us.

Twenty-seven mp and three bolts in the air.

Still in the middle of tumbling away, I fire an Energy Bolt with the intention to hit his chest, before I finish rolling to my feet.

Sun-il is kind enough to stand still while he blocks the blast with his arms. It's meant to give me the opportunity to widen the distance between us, but instead I Dodge Roll back towards him with a mental command for my bolts to hit his chest or head, whichever is closest, before I use the momentum of my roll to sweep my legs at his ankles in a move I hope will inspire a familiar reaction.

It does, Sun-il hops over them.

"Power Kick," I say partway through rolling to my feet and hit his stomach with magical aim and flexibility.

| Critical hit!

His lack of footing means that Sun-il gets thrown into the air, just in time for my bolts to hit him. Which has the added effect of obscuring him in smoke. Completely obscuring him, in fact.

There's a lot more smoke that I was expecting.

I'm already running away, backwards because I can't afford to take my eyes off the slowly fading smoke. Except somehow, no matter that I don't see anything move, a hand grasps my arm from behind me.

I'm thrown flat on my back. Of course I am.

| -3 HP

Sun-il leans over me with a true smile.

"Passable. Not good, but passable," the asshole says like it's a real compliment. Which I suppose it is, given his ridiculously high standards when it comes to fighting. Standards that are apparently even more ridiculous when magic is factored in.

I punch the asshole's leg the way I'd do outside of a spar, which is why Sun-il doesn't dodge. He chuckles.

"Giving up already?" he mocks playfully.

"I'm out of mana," I reply, though I know that he won't consider this a valid reason to stop. He'll consider it good practice to do without.

"Well, you do need to learn what to do when you can't use your skills."

Called it.

"So, ready for round two?" he at least has the decency to ask instead of just starting it without warning.

"Not yet, I need to figure something out first," I say in a tone that means I'm serious about this, and heave myself into a sitting position.

"Figure out what?" Sun-il asks while sitting down next to me.

"My skills," I reply with a frown. Now that I can afford to think about things other than defending myself, this is really bothering me.

I tried out a lot of moves in my effort to get more skills, including fighting moves, yet I didn't get any skill aside from Power Strike. So why did I get them now? Because I was fighting against a real opponent? Well, kind of real opponent. Sun-il never got a health bar.

Except this theory, while it could have merit, doesn't explain all my new skills. More specifically, it doesn't explain Rip. I tore at the Demon Slime as well, so why didn't I get the skill then?

"What about your skills?" Sun-il prompts in a tone that invites me to rant. I gladly take him up on his offer.

"It doesn't make sense! I've gotten five new ones, _five_ , and while I can understand four of them, one is just– why didn't I get it when fighting the Demon Slime?" I demand to the world at large, ignoring Sun-il's amusement. "What's the difference between then and now? Is it because I leveled my stat– I'm such an idiot," I exclaim as realization strikes, because the answer is so obvious that I can't understand how I missed this.

I have leveled up.

"You really are," the asshole assures me and I punch his arm on habit.

Thinking about it, it's kind of odd that I don't need to level up in order to improve my stats. Oh, the points are useful, but they aren't exactly necessary. So in a game where stats can be improved through training, what reason is there to level?

To unlock more skills.

"Just out of curiosity, why have you finally realized this as well?" Sun-il continues with a grin.

"I leveled up," I explain. Sun-il raises a brow that means _you've forgotten, again, that people can't read your mind_. Which is ironic coming from him, seeing as he often does read my mind.

"I can improve my stats through training, so what's the point of leveling? To unlock more skills," I elaborate. Sun-il blinks as he processes this, before he lets out a soft sound of comprehension.

"Makes sense," he agrees with my reasoning.

"I confess, I am having trouble understanding this conversation." His grandfather's words startles me into snapping my gaze towards him. I'd almost forgotten that he's here as well.

"In a videogame, you usually get stronger by increasing your overall level. That's not the case here, we've already determined that Jee-han can do that through training. So it stands to reason that there must be another advantage to leveling up. Because of her new skills, she's deduced that leveling up unlocks more of them," Sun-il explains to his technologically challenged grandfather.

His grandfather lets out a pensive hum. "You said you have gained five new skills? What are their descriptions?"

I obligingly call up my skill screen and read out their descriptions. I also mention that my auto-targeting extends to physical skills, for the simple reason that it has to be said out loud. It's just that useful.

"No, really? I hadn't noticed," Sun-il mocks.

"It's alright, you can't help being unobservant," I comfort.

Sun-il snorts with laughter. _That's not only incorrect, it's so hypocritical that I can do nothing but laugh at you_.

I reply with _sure, you keep telling yourself that_.

"Your automatic targeting is indeed one of your greatest advantages," his grandfather interrupts our banter, and I have to grin at the way he actually spells it out to automatic targeting. "However, its weakness is that it requires you to use skills that cost energy," he points out something that I've already realized for myself.

I have a potential solution for that.

"I'm thinking of investing my points in wisdom." While having a large amount of mana is important, mana regeneration is even more so. Right now I recover one percent per minute, which means it's useless in a fight.

Fights are fast, they only last a few minutes at most. However, if I invest all my points into wisdom, that rate should increase to the point where it becomes useful in a fight. Well, hopefully it will reach that point, at least.

On the other hand, if I put all my points in wisdom, it'll reach twenty, and after that a stat gets a lot more difficult to train. Not that I currently have a way to train wisdom, but given that I only just got my power, it isn't unreasonable to assume that I just haven't found a way to raise it yet. Same for luck, though that's a far less important stat. Yes, critical hits are useful, but it would be stupid to rely on them.

"Not a bad idea for a moron," Sun-il says with such mock pride at my "unexpected" cleverness. I punch his arm.

"If you were to increase the rate with which your energy recovers, we would be able to train your skills faster," his grandfather says, a strong suggestion for me to do just that.

I already realized this as well, but I'm still not sure if it's best to increase my wisdom now or try to figure out a way to increase it naturally first.

...Except my spar with Sun-il has shown just how outclassed I am. Clearly, leveling my skills as fast as possible is the way to go.

"Status menu," I open, and waste no more time in putting all my points in wisdom.

Oh. Oh, wow.

This isn't like increasing my intelligence, not in the slightest. I can actually _feel_ my mind sharpen. As evidenced by a series of rapid realizations I have.

The first, I should've done this from the beginning, I really should have.

The second, I should never invest in luck for the simple reason that it'll increase my _luck_.

Luck can be good. It can also be bad.

Yeah, I'm touching that one unless I find a way to be absolutely certain that it'll only affect good luck.

The third, my increased intelligence does, in fact, have an effect besides increasing my mana pool. It improves my memory. I now recall things more easily, and looking back, the improvement is linked to the rise in my intelligence.

The fourth, all my senses have increased in strength. I didn't notice because it happened pretty gradually, relatively speaking, but now I realize that my eyesight is sharper than it was this morning, that my hearing is better, scents are stronger, and sensations are more intense. Thinking back to lunch makes it clear that things taste more intense as well.

The fifth, if my own senses have grown stronger by raising... huh, it's related to strength, not vitality. How unexpected. Anyway, if my own senses have improved like this, it means that those of Sun-il and his family have to be even better.

They have to be a _lot_ better. As superhuman as their strength, in fact. Which also explains the comment Sae-young made about my heartbeat.

And finally, my power is even more amazing than I thought it was.

"You alright?" Sun-il asks, not worried, just curious. Logical, given the expressions I now realize I was wearing.

"I'm more than alright. Also, you'll never be able to call me a moron again," I answer with a huge grin. Seriously, my power just keeps getting better and better.

"I highly doubt that," he returns in a tone that means _some further explanation would be nice_.

"It's difficult to put into words, but raising wisdom makes me smarter. It's so much easier to understand things, to see how it's all connected," I explain, but feel that the words fall wholly short of explaining just how great the effect is. So I give an example. "Like your super senses."

"My super senses?" Sun-il counters with a bemused smile that means _it can be so entertaining to try to figure out how your weird brain works_.

I go through the effort of spelling out my thoughts. "Raising strength makes my own grow stronger, so that means your own and those of your family are even better. And because Sae-young made a comment about my heartbeat, I think it's safe to conclude that they're superhuman." Spelling it out like this makes me realize something else. "Wait, if you guys have super hearing, how are you keeping my ability a secret?"

Because while we're inside a barrier right now, we weren't always. When we weren't, we were in an open garden. Yes, it's a private one, but that just means that people outside of Sun-il' family have to be invited in. His family, however, can come and go as they please.

So given that his family has super senses, and given that we've been talking about my power out in the open, isn't there a good chance that someone overheard?

Sun-il blinks with surprise. _Huh. Did not see that one coming_.

"We have a technique that allows us to contain sound to a small radius around us. This is how we have prevented our conversation from being overheard," his grandfather explains.

They can soundproof things? That's so cool! Also unexpected, because until now I got the impression that their ability was only about enhancing their bodies. Apparently there's more to it than that.

"Now, I believe we have taken a break for long enough. Let us resume your training," his grandfather finishes, because you can always count on him to get things back on track.

He throws something at me that he was hiding behind his back. It turns out to be an energy bar.

Sun-il gives a sunny smile. "Ready to get your ass kicked again?"

"I'm not going to make it easy for you," I warn. While I know that I can't beat him, I do have my pride.

"You will not be facing Sun-il," his grandfather declares with a gentle cheer that makes Sun-il and me snap our heads towards him.

No way.

Sun-il is starting to gain an expression of horror.

Yes way.

"Grandfather, that's not necessary, it really isn't. I can teach her–" Sun-il shuts up as his grandfather raises a brow, and while in some way his grandfather's expression is gentle, it's mostly firm.

It makes Sun-il turn uneasy, conflicted, reluctant, and eventually, resigned.

Just like that, I understand what this is about.

Sun-il is going too easy on me. I lost less than a fifth of my health in our spar.

The reason he's going too easy on me is because I'm practically made out of glass to him. I've always known that physically speaking I'm pretty delicate when compared to him of course, but when adding in his magic, the gap becomes ridiculously huge. Even when adding in my own newfound power. The fact that I wasn't aware of the sheer difference until now, doesn't mean that it wasn't present.

In other words, while I've always assumed that Sun-il considers me to be delicate, physically speaking, it turns out that I've greatly underestimated just how fragile I am compared to him.

Sun-il is my best friend. He doesn't want to hurt me. Oh, sure, he "hurts" me when sparring, but that's because punishing failure with pain provides an excellent motivation to improve. However, no matter how intense our spar, I never walk away with anything more than some light bruises at the absolute worst.

Just like I walked away from this spar with most of my health intact.

Sun-il's mindset towards me can't be changed in one day. Not after having it for years.

I still haven't fully adjusted to him having magic yet, either.

The sadist that is his grandfather, on the other hand, will have no trouble in forcing me to go beyond my limits.

Sun-il looks at me with sincere compassion. _I'm so sorry for what you're about to be put through_.

The sadist smiles with amusement.

I unwrap the energy bar and start recovering my health.

I'm going to need it for what comes next.

* * *

 **AN:** Action scenes are a bitch to write, they really are. Hope the pacing was decent, at least.

Also, canon has revealed Sun-il's grandfather's age! And I'm kind of proud of how close I came to the numbers X3 According to canon, his grandfather's real age is 156, but publicly speaking, he's 72. I retconned my own fic to use these numbers, because, well, it's only a very minor adjustment.

As always, hope you enjoyed!


	11. Chapter 11

In some ways, getting my ass kicked by Sun-il's grandfather is exactly the same as getting my ass kicked by Sun-il. Both are faster, stronger and just plain better than me, but they limit themselves to a level that allows me to fight back. Both teach by repeating moves until I can adequately defend myself against them and point out weak spots by using them against me.

| -70 HP

In most ways, it's completely different.

"Inventory," I call up as I recover from the hit by rolling to my feet the normal way. Dodge Roll would've let me recover faster, but I can't afford to waste mana for something as minor as that.

I pull out an already unwrapped energy bar and quickly say "Close Inventory" to get rid of the blind spot it creates, before scarfing down the energy while continuing to run towards my chosen alley. As long as I eat outside of close combat range, the sadist allows me to recover my health this quest.

I've learned to devour an entire bar in record time. It isn't pleasant to do, but this isn't about comfort.

This is about survival.

Straining my ears to remain aware of how near the sadist is, I reach the large trash container that was the reason I chose to go into this alley, grab the side with both hands without slowing down and say "Rip." I could move it without using a skill, but that would take far longer than I can afford.

I don't stop to watch the results of my action, continuing my run as metal screeches across the street, but I do turn my head as much as I can without slowing down. The noise means that I can't hear the sadist approach anymore.

My ploy has worked! The sadist is stuck behind the container now blocking the entire alley. Alright, now I need to get out the alley and start climbing–

I drop to the ground on pure instinct as I hear something hit metal. It's a good thing I do, because it turns out that was the sound of the sadist somehow launching the container through the air like a missile, the force of its passage ruffling my clothes as it flies over me.

Note to self, the larger the object, the faster it flies this quest.

For a fraction of a moment I debate on whether to Dodge Roll or get to my feet the normal way. "Dodge Roll," I decide as I hear the sadist come after me again and I realize that I can't afford to risk a fight with him in narrow confines like this.

Clearing the alley with my tumble, I spin around to face the sadist.

I spin around just in time to see him close the remaining distance between us, throwing a casual punch at my chest at a speed I won't be able to dodge. I block the hit with my arms.

| -20 HP

My ratio of health loss is this. If I manage to block a hit, I lose twenty hp. If I don't manage to block it, I lose fifty if it hits my arms or legs, seventy if it hits my torso, and eighty if it hits my head.

If my health drops below ninety, I lose.

As the sadist keeps attacking me like this is no more difficult than a walk in the park for him, I call upon every ounce of flexibility I possess in order to avoid getting hit, mind racing on what to do next.

Using an active skill when he's this near is incredibly difficult. The sadist has hammered in the weakness of voice activation with rattling punches to the jaw and merciless chops to the throat. If I can't finish my commands, my active skills are useless.

That leaves my passive ones. More specifically, it leaves Mana Manipulation.

Still dodging like crazy, I focus on gathering mana in both my palms and soon feel them start to tingle in that odd way that means I've succeeded. Though my preoccupation means that I have to block two more hits I otherwise could've dodged.

Waiting for the sadist to offer an opening, I finally spot one and quickly shoot off two blasts. They're _much_ weaker than Energy Bolt, but I'm not trying to hurt the sadist. In fact, I don't shoot the blasts at him.

I shoot them against each other.

Fun fact, when blasts of mana collide with each other, they create a huge amount of smoke. Though depending on how close my hands are to one another when I fire the blasts, it's more than a little painful to do. Fortunately, it never makes me lose hp, thank you, lack of friendly fire.

The sadist doesn't need to see me to know exactly where I am of course, but this quest he's acting like a loss of visibility does hinder him. Which means my smokescreen buys me enough time to get some distance between us.

Twenty-seven mp left to force him off the ground.

That's my current quest. Get "the mentor" to leave the ground. More specifically, get both his feet to leave the ground at the same time.

Like every other quest involving the sadist, it sounds a lot easier to accomplish than it actually is.

Alright, think. How do I get his feet off the ground? I've already failed spectacularly when I tried to do so from a distance, the sadist just obliterates the distance between us faster than the eye can see, the only time he uses that kind of speed this quest. Trying to reach higher grounds by climbing buildings is out of the question as well, he prevents me from reaching even a single balcony by throwing things at me, making me lose my grip and a chunk of health. I didn't really think that blocking his way would allow me to circumvent that, but I had to try.

What I wouldn't give for any kind of jumping skill.

Given all these factors, that leaves only one option. One I very much wanted to avoid, but it's become clear that I won't be able to.

So how do I get his feet off the ground in close quarters?

| The continuous use of breathing exercises has increased VIT by 1!

I genuinely don't notice anymore that I'm breathing correctly except for when the pop-ups remind me. Before he'd started the kicking of my ass, the sadist had conjured up a small bag full of what seemed to be tiny marbles and tied it to his sash. Whenever my breathing faltered, he threw one at me faster than I could see. Literally, no matter how close he was or what he was doing, I never saw him throw one.

I only realized what he'd done when the marble hit my leg like a bullet. Somehow the things never made me lose any health, no matter that they really should have, because those supposed glass baubles hurt like a piece of red hot shrapnel shot against my leg, more painful than anything I can ever remember experiencing. It was torture.

It was also a great way to make breathing correctly become second nature. Now I can focus on more important things. Like how to get the sadist off the ground.

"Vitality," I say so that the sadist knows I've gained an extra ten hp, mind still racing to come up with another strategy.

I'm just starting to come up with a vague plan when the sadist finishes closing the distance between us, putting my planning on hold as I once again call upon every ounce of flexibility I possess.

| The diligent practice of nimbly avoiding attacks has increased AGI by 1!

I have to give it to the sadist, I'm improving at a phenomenal rate.

| -80 HP

I'm also in constant pain.

"Ouch, that's got to hurt."

Ah, yes. My audience. Apparently I've come close enough to whatever balcony they're currently watching the show from to hear them again.

"Nice recovery, though," I hear Sae-young continue as I finish rolling back to my feet and open my inventory, closing it again after pulling out two energy bars, scarfing them down as fast I can while I resume my planning.

"She shouldn't have–" I hear Rain start to criticize before the sadist is on me again and I have no more attention to spare for any kind of distraction. Instead I focus fully on not getting hit and executing the rough plan I now have. If this doesn't work, I'm going to be in a lot of trouble.

I gather mana in my palms and need to block another hit because of it, wait for the particular kind of opening I need, and perform a kick to his stomach. As expected, the sadist grabs my leg in a way that means he intends to throw me against a building. He likes throwing me against buildings in this quest.

"Power Kick," I immediately rush out with the intention to hit his head, my position preventing him from interrupting me.

My body spins into a gravity defying kick that comes straight out of an action movie. Even so focused, a small part of me squeals with glee at how awesome it is that I can actually pull this off.

The sadist catches that leg with his other hand and I'm very glad that he didn't do something else instead. While the sadist does teach by repeating moves, he also does unexpected things with annoying irregularity to keep me on my toes.

As I feel him start to throw me away, I snap my hands out, and just as he lets go of my legs and I go flying, I manage to get two energy whips around his ankles and say " _Rip_."

| Quest: Get The Mentor To Leave The Ground!  
| Completed

Yes! I can't actually see how the sadist left the ground because I'm flying through the air but who cares! I did it!

My victorious laughter is cut short when I smash into a building head first.

| -80 HP

| Physical Resistance has risen by 1!

I land on my feet and immediately jump back into the air with another victorious laugh, pain ignored in favor of pure happiness. I did it! I won!

"Suck on that!" I exclaim to the world at large, so damn proud of myself.

"Congratulations on making a century's old man trip," Sun-il suddenly mocks from besides me, but when I turn around to face him, his smile lets me know that he's genuinely impressed.

"Why thank you," I reply, not bothering to try to sound anything else than smug.

Rain and Sae-young silently land besides him like they just hopped off a fence instead of a balcony several stories high.

"That was really good," Sae-young compliments, making me even more proud of myself. "Lots of room for improvement of course," she continues, because this family is incapable of not pointing out flaws when it comes to fighting, "but still. Really good."

"You should've tried to soften your impact instead of laughing," Rain adds, offering more concrete criticism than Sae-young did. "You weren't bad, though," he finishes. Coming from him, that's high praise.

"Well done, Jee-han," their grandfather praises as well while coming to stand besides his grandchildren, and I swear I'm practically glowing with pride.

"You know I can actually see your ego swell?" Sun-il mocks hypocritically.

"Tell me I don't deserve it," I counter, daring him to do just that.

"You don't deserve it," he immediately takes me up on my offer, more on reflex than anything else. We both know that's a load of crap.

"Take care not to overestimate yourself," their grandfather warns, but even the sternness of his words isn't enough to dampen my satisfaction in any way. "While it is true that your are improving at an exceptional rate, the fact remains that you are an amateur when it comes to the supernatural."

True, I am.

Doesn't make me any less satisfied that I managed to complete my quest.

Again, my power is _awesome_.

"It's definitely a lot less lame than I thought it would be," Sae-young says with a teasing grin after I say so out loud.

The next moments are spend with the four of them going over everything that happened this round with a fine comb and pointing out what I could've done better.

I could've done a lot of things better.

Their critical analysis is both utterly unforgiving and very helpful. So helpful that it's raised my intelligence three times already, though it's going to be a long while before it raises again. It's just hit twenty, after all.

I'm not annoyed by their constant nitpicking, nor by the fact that I'm required to be an active participant in figuring out what I could've done better. I would've if I'd failed my quest, but I didn't, so it's fine. And again, very helpful. It's even more helpful when I've failed of course, but I can't help but be incredibly annoyed by their advice right after that happens. Even when I've only failed the first attempt and their advice is my best shot at succeeding my final one.

I now have a category for failed quests in my log.

Every quest in it haunts me.

Another benefit of their detailed analysis is that it allows me to recover some mana. Not all of it, that would require a level of nitpicking even this family considers to be ridiculous. Still, anything is better than nothing.

Even with the high of beating a quest, I'm not looking forward to the next round. One where I won't be able to use mana.

That's the basic format I'm following. I have a round where I'm allowed to use mana, followed by one where I'm not. I don't _always_ fail when I'm not allowed to use mana, but I do fail a lot more often than not.

Wisdom and intelligence are definitely the most important stats to level.

On another note, I've discovered some more interesting things about my power. For one, I'm no longer bothered by extreme temperatures. Oh, I still feel them and they make me uncomfortable, but they don't impact my health or ability to move. I discovered this when the sadist created a desert to fight in and I didn't overheat. It was further proven when he followed up that arena with an arctic wasteland.

Even in sub-zero temperatures, I feel no more than intense discomfort and a strong urge to shiver. An urge that's easily ignored when fighting.

In other words, extreme temperatures inspire nothing more than an idle animation.

Another fun fact is that I can't be blinded anymore. Well no, I can be, but even when having the magical equivalent of a flash bomb go off right in front of my eyes, there are no stars or black spots dancing in my vision afterwards. Same for being deafened, my ears no longer ring after that happens.

My Gamer's Body really is incredibly useful.

As for my inventory, I've discovered that I can indeed store away plants and bugs. They also survive the experience. Well, they survive for at least an hour. I currently have a few more stored away, both plants and bugs, but I'm not taking them out until tomorrow. If they're still alive after that, I think I can safely conclude that living things do indeed survive the experience.

Still not going to try storing away a person unless I absolutely have to.

By the time the cross examination comes to an end, the high of completing my quest has mostly faded.

That's when Wind fades into view. Are all his classes over? Is it that late already?

How time flies when you're getting your ass kicked.

"What did I miss?" he asks.

"Jee-han is sparring against Grandfather," Sae-young tells him without even attempting to hide her glee. Wind's eyes widen with shock.

"Wait, seriously? You're sparring against _Grandfather?_ " He gets what I can only call a shit eating grin. "Oh, this I've got to see."

Being an asshole is clearly genetic.

"You're just in time, Grandfather was about to give her a new quest," Sun-il informs him with a sunny smile. That asshole is having so much fun watching me get my ass kicked.

"Thank you so much for your support," I say in my most sarcastic voice while giving him an unimpressed look.

Sun-il's smile becomes even sunnier. "You're welcome," he says in a tone that means _I could watch this forever, I really could_.

"So what's next?" Sae-young asks, continuing to enjoy my suffering just as unrepentantly as Sun-il. At least Rain isn't openly enjoying my pain. I know that has nothing to do with any consideration for me, but still. I'm grateful for his mild as ever expression.

"I will attack you using nothing but objects found in our surroundings," their grandfather starts to explain, and even the sadist is showing a gentle cheer. This entire family's sense of humor is warped, it really is. "Your goal is to make physical contact with any part of my head."

| Quest: Touch The Mentor's Head!

I tap on the pop-up for more details. I know what I need to do, but when it comes to the sadist, it never hurts to check.

| Quest: Touch The Mentor's Head! (Attempt 1/2)  
| The Gamer's Mentor wants you to touch his head. The Gamer's Mentor will attack using pre-existing objects in your surroundings.  
| Additional conditions:  
| – The use of mana leads to automatic failure  
| – HP dropping below 90 leads to automatic failure  
| Completion Award:  
| – 50 EXP  
| – A great sense of satisfaction  
| Failure Award:  
| – A great sense of failure

"So it doesn't matter what part of me touches your head, right?" I ask just to be absolutely sure that I'm getting this right. "Oh, and Physical Resistance rose when I hit that building," I inform him since we're about to start. The increase means that the sadist has to hit me harder to keep up the same ratio of health loss, after all.

I genuinely don't understand how he manages to ensure that I never lose more than eighty hp at a time, but I'm deeply impressed by it. Even if most of that awe is buried underneath the constant pain he inflicts on me as well.

"If any part of your body makes physical contact with my head, you will have won," the sadist confirms.

"Does that include my hair?" It can't be called long by any means, but it would still be a huge advantage.

Sun-il'l smile deepens in a way that means he is both amused and impressed by that question. Go me.

Their grandfather takes a moment to think over his answer, before he shakes his head. "No, your hair is not included."

Damn, that's a real shame.

Our surroundings change from the center of Seoul to one of the suburbs. More specifically, it changes to the neighbourhood I live in. How kind of the sadist to give me the homefield advantage.

Taking a deep breath, I push away all distractions and focus on my goal.

Time to beat this quest of be haunted by its failure.

* * *

Not long after, the day comes to an end. When it does, their grandfather orders me to wait inside the illusion barrier while he and Rain go get something.

Sae-young says goodbye with a quick hug and leaves as well. I'm honestly surprised it took this long. Her usual attention span can't be called great by any means.

While laying down the ground and reveling in the knowledge that the torture is over, I check out the final results of my training.

| Name: Han Jee-han  
| Class: The Gamer  
| Level: 6 – Next Level: 55,76%

It really is ridiculous how little exp side-quests give. All these quests and I haven't even gained half a level.

| HP: 310/310  
| MP: 170/170

| STR: 24  
| VIT: 28  
| AGI: 31  
| INT: 20  
| WIS: 20  
| LUK: 9

| Points: 0  
| Money: ₩ 2500

I look at my improved stats with pride. Seriously, in one day I've managed to more than double my strength, and almost tripled my vitality and agility. All without using any points to boot.

I repeat yet again, my power is _awesome_.

"Can't argue with that," Wind agrees. "It's unbelievable how much you've improved today, it really is."

"Don't encourage her, her ego is already too big as it is," Sun-il insults playfully.

"You're just jealous," I tease with a patronizing smile.

"So jealous it's not even funny," he laments with a ridiculous mock pout. I chuckle, and it's enough to make him lose the battle against his own grin.

I decide to check out my skills next. Their improvements are just as impressive as my stats.

Power Strike has risen to level sixteen, while Energy Bolt has reached level thirteen. Dodge Roll has reached level nine, Power Kick level eight, Rip level six, and Elbow Smash and Scratch have reached level three. Only Fool's Act hasn't improved. I tried that skill no more than once, because when it failed and I was stuck being jerked around in the most ridiculous of ways, the sadist's retaliation more than proved that it's just too risky to use in a real battle. For now.

As for my passive skills, Mana Manipulation has reached level eight, while Physical Resistance has reached a whopping level of twenty-six.

Seriously, my power is the best.

"You do know the constant bragging about your ability is going to get annoying eventually, right?" Sun-il teases, not annoyed by it in the slightest.

"Eventually, sure. But not yet." And I'm planning to enjoy the lack of annoyance for as long as possible.

When Rain and his grandfather return, Rain is carrying three large boxes. One is filled with energy bars so that I have enough reserve in my inventory, and the other two are filled with books. More specifically, books for me.

"These should be enough to teach you the basics of living in the Abyss," Rain explains. All these are just for the basics? Do I even want to know how much more I'll have to read to reach anything advanced?

"Thanks," I say, before putting the boxes away. Then I realize I won't be able to read the books if they're in my inventory and pull them back out. Sun-il was very clear that I shouldn't use my power outside his home, after all.

"Using your inventory will not attract unwanted attention," their grandfather declares after I explain my reasoning, making my eyes widen with surprise. It won't? That's fantastic! But seriously, it won't?

"It won't?" Sun-il asks before I need to, and the way he says it makes it clear he did not see that one coming at all.

"No, the disturbance it causes is near unnoticeable," Rain answers, Wind giving a nod of agreement.

"How come you didn't know that?" I ask Sun-il, because it's clear that all the others figured this out easily.

"I told you I'm no good at sensing anything other than ki," Sun-il explains.

"It's true, he sucks so much at that," Wind confirms with a solemn nod that's ruined by the fact that he's not bothering to hide his amusement.

"But I'm great at kicking your ass," Sun-il counters without missing a beat, giving Wind his most insulting smile.

I almost ask Sun-il why he was so firm about me not using my power outside his home when he didn't actually know if it would attract unwanted attention or not, but then I realize he was just playing it safe. Given the circumstances, that's more than understandable.

"What about my active skills? Can I use those as well?" I ask their grandfather. That would let me improve even faster than I already do.

"I would strongly advise against using them outside this compound," he answers, and while it isn't quite an order, only an idiot would ignore his words. "Unlike your inventory, your active skills do create a noticeable disturbance."

His words make Sun-il shake his head incredulously

"Why do you think that's weird?" I ask him.

"Because apparently your physical enhancements are noticeable but your space-time manipulation isn't," he answers in a tone that both means _that's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard_ and _of course your power is just as weird as you are_.

I kick his leg.

Aside from the books, their grandfather also gives me a necklace. It's a simple thing, just a small circular pendant hanging from a thin chain, plain and cheap.

"Wear this at all times," their grandfather commands, making me straighten on instinct. "If you are ever in danger, break the chain and help will come."

Wait, really? "This thing is magical?" It looks so cheap.

"Yes, Jee-han, this 'thing' is magical," Sun-il patronizes in a tone that means _looks aren't everything, you know_.

Given that my hands are occupied with putting the necklace on, I kick his leg instead of punching his arm.

"We give one to every user unable to signal for help on their own," Rain explains. Huh. Does that mean most users can signal for help without it? Or is it the opposite and most users can't?

"How are we going to activate it?" Wind asks his grandfather before I can voice my own question. So it isn't active yet?

"The pendant needs to be keyed to you specifically in order to work," Sun-il helpfully elaborates without verbal prompting. "Usually we do that with a drop of blood, but, well."

Yeah, that's not going to work in my case.

"With your permission, I would like to key it to your ki directly," their grandfather says, before he waits for my answer with an air of infinite patience.

I nod my agreement. Only an idiot would refuse, after all.

"Do I need to do something?" I ask as their grandfather comes to stand in front of me.

"You need only to stand still and breathe," he replies. I obligingly keep still as he places one hand on the pendant and the other on my heart.

If it were anyone else than their grandfather, the placement of his hands would've made me very uncomfortable.

Their grandfather closes his eyes.

Nothing else happens. At least, not that I can determine. Judging from the puzzled frown Sun-il gets, something unexpected is happening.

Rain gains unusually intense eyes and stares intently at his grandfather's hands. After a moment, he takes off his glasses, making his eyes seem even more intense. Curious, I ask after his and Sun-il's reaction. "Why–"

"Shh," Sun-il shushes in a way that means he's not doing it to be an asshole, there's a real reason that I need to keep quiet. He just isn't sharing what that reason is.

I manage to give him an unimpressed look without moving my head. Sun-il barely acknowledges it, far more focused on whatever his grandfather is doing.

Something that requires me to be quiet, apparently.

"It's not supposed to take this long," Wind at least explains, frowning, before he closes his eyes with a concentrated expression.

I wonder what they're sensing. Well, obviously they're sensing ki, but I wonder what that feels like.

I don't feel anything out of the ordinary.

After a few more moments of concentrated silence, their grandfather lets out a slightly deeper breath than usual, noticeable only because of quiet.

| You have gained a status effect!

Nice of my power to let me know. Though it's too bad that it doesn't give any information on what kind of effect it is. I suppose the information is on my stat screen? Has to be, it makes no sense to get an effect without also getting some information on it.

"Status," I call up as their grandfather opens his eyes and lifts his hands.

| Name: Han Jee-han  
| Class: The Gamer  
| Level: 6 – Next Level: 55,76%

| HP: 310/310  
| MP: 170/170

| STR: 23  
| VIT: 28  
| AGI: 31  
| INT: 20  
| WIS: 20  
| LUK: 9

| Points: 0  
| Money: ₩ 2500

| Status Effects:  
| – Emergency Pendant is active

Hah, knew it had to have a description.

"Why did you call upon your status screen?" Rain asks, once more mild as ever.

I explain about the notification and the lack of information it gave, but I'm more interested in the way Sun-il still looks a little weirded out.

I ask him why.

"Because _Grandfather_ had trouble anchoring your ki," he answers in a way that means he really doesn't understand why he needs to spell this out for me.

I reply with a look that means _and I'm supposed to know what is and isn't normal for your family of super warrior monks, how?_

Sun-il concedes the point by not replying with an insult. "You really need a medical," he declares instead.

"Speaking of, I've been wondering about something," Wind says, looking serious in a way he rarely does. "Jee-han, when's the last time you went to the bathroom?"

What kind of question is that? Who even asks that? There are things that are no one's business but my own and this is definitely one of them.

I would've told Wind exactly that if Sun-il's eyes hadn't opened fully with shock. "Jee-han, when," he demands urgently, the ever simmering worry he's been struggling with since I told him about my power flaring back up with a vengeance.

I give him a look that tells him exactly what I think about being forced to talk about this, but given his reaction I also obligingly open my mouth to answer– I close it as I realize that the last time I went was several days ago. More specifically, it was the evening before I got my power. I haven't needed to go since then.

...I admittedly should've noticed this a lot sooner.

Sun-il closes his eyes with a pained grimace. "You're such a _moron_." The sentiment is heartfelt in a way it rarely is.

"You didn't notice either," I point out defensively, because he hadn't.

"Because of course I spy on you when– wait, then what were you even doing in the bathroom? You can't have been washing your hands for that long." The sudden shift confuses me and I need a moment to figure out what he's talking about.

Oh, he means when I was testing if other people can see the things pulled out of my inventory or not. The bathroom really is the best place to use my inventory in school. I don't have to worry about someone walking in on me making something vanish or pulling something out of seemingly thin air.

"I was testing my inventory," I answer.

"Why?" Sun-il demands in a tone that means _what possible reason could you have for doing that there of all places?_

"I didn't have to worry about being seen," I explain.

"So I guess I'm right in thinking you haven't needed to go since you got your ability?" Wind interjects. My confirming nod makes him shake his head with disbelief, even as he starts to grin with wry amusement as well. "Yeah, you definitely need a medical."

"Which she will have tomorrow morning. For now, it is futile to worry," their grandfather says with a pointedly serene look at Sun-il.

Sun-il lets out a sigh that says he understands that intellectually, but that understanding doesn't help lessen his worry in any way.

I try to come up with something to say to comfort him. Seeing as I'm great at offering comfort as ever, I fail.

Not knowing what else to do, I gently punch his arm. I'm glad when it makes him smile, faint but real, before he closes his eyes and takes a calming breath. Suppressing his worry as best he can once more.

I suppose that's the best I'm going to get. Doesn't mean I like it, but this isn't something I can force into becoming better. Sun-il has to work through his worry on his own.

I say goodbye to Wind and Rain, before thanking their grandfather for all the help he's given. A sadist he might be, but no one can deny the effectiveness of his methods.

"It was my please, Jee-han."

Yeah, I bet it was. Sadist.

The thought is a lot more affectionate than it has any right to be.

"Until we meet again tomorrow. Do not be late," he ends with a stern order, as fond of punctuality as ever.

"I won't," I assure him, before bowing my farewell. "See you tomorrow."

Their grandfather returns the bow. When he straightens, the world shatters.

After half a day of constantly changing terrain, suddenly finding myself in the garden is no longer disorientating. I do tilt back my head to look up at the night sky, though.

It's funny to go from day to night without any form of dusk.

Sun-il walks me to the gates, and we bater insults like usual as we pass through the empty courtyard. When we reach the gates, he strongly emphasizes that I need to call for help the instant I feel like I'm in magical danger. Then we say our goodbyes.

Unlike yesterday, this time I'm the one who finds myself hesitating to leave.

"What is it?" Sun-il prompts. After another moment of hesitation, I decide to give in to the urge to try to comfort him by saying something.

"I'll be fine, you know." It doesn't take a genius to figure out that's the root of his ever simmering worry.

Sun-il looks at me with surprise, before he lets out a tired chuckle and shakes his head, fond yet so despondent as well. Damn it, knew I shouldn't have given into the urge after all.

"Of course you will," he says, but it's clear that he doesn't really believe it. He's just trying to convince himself.

Alright, I made his worry flare up again, so it's my duty to ease it back down again as well. Seeing as reassurances obviously won't work for that...

"Won't be long before I'll be able to kick your real ass instead of just your virtual one," I proclaim in my most confident voice, giving him a taunting smile.

Sun-il grins in a way I absolutely did not see coming, and while I'm very glad that my teasing has succeeded in making his mood lift, I'm far more stuck on the meaning of that expression.

 _You're right, it won't be long at all_.

Seriously? I was just joking! I didn't actually believe my boast. I still don't, because the notion of being stronger than Sun-il is literally impossible to process. Even my Gamer's Mind offers no help there.

I realize that I'm wearing a gobsmacked expression when Sun-il chuckles again, the sound light in a way the previous one wasn't. When I close my slack jaw, he gives a teasing smile.

"You're going to need to go through a _lot_ more 'torture' before you stand even the slightest chance of that." _And I'll be enjoying every moment of your suffering_.

I roll my eyes with a grin, shock replaced by affection. I gently punch his arm. "Asshole," I accuse fondly.

"Moron," he returns just as fondly.

With that, I take my leave and start making my way towards the busstop. I don't think about anything in particular while doing so, just let my mind wander as it pleases. Now that the day is coming to an end, I'm feeling the exertion catch up with me.

I'm tired. Kind of tired. Physically speaking I'm not, the last of the pain has faded and my body doesn't feel like it needs to rest. My brain, on the other hand, feels tired and sluggish.

I'm really looking forward to going to bed. After a nice hot bath and dinner, of course.

I get off the bus, daydreaming about how wonderful both the bath and my bed will feel.

"I'm home," I call out as I enter, taking off my shoes.

"Welcome back," Mom calls from the living room, the same as she always does.

The realization strikes like lightning, erasing all traces of tiredness and making me halt with muted shock.

Mom knows.

* * *

 **IMPORTANT:** I've posted another story in this verse, under the title of TFG Extras. They offer a glimpse into Sun-il's POV. Be sure to check it out!

Now on to our regular AN. Look, my muse has returned! You can thank some amazing reviews I got for that, and those of Amaspa in particular.

Also, as some of you might've noticed, I've switched from writing in the past tense to the present tense. That's part of why this chapter took so long (aside from my muse being a fickle thing that lives off reviews) I've rewritten all the previous chapters in the present tense as well.

Back to this chapter. Anyone interested in how her mom knows?

Hope you enjoyed! And hope you'll enjoy the extras I've posted as well :)


	12. Chapter 12

I don't know what I would've done without my Gamer's Mind. Panicked? Maybe. Gone into denial? Probably. Stayed frozen with shock? Most likely.

As it is, I decide to act normal. I need to think this through before confronting Mom.

"Did you have fun?" Mom asks, turning to face me as I enter the sparkling clean living room, her makeup done to camera perfection, her hair looking like she just came from the hairdresser, and her clothes so neat that they could come straight out of a shopping catalogue.

"I did," I answer truthfully. I did have fun. In between the bouts of torture and the _much_ too frequent losing of my quests, at least.

Mom gives a curt nod. "Good," she says, and resumes watching her drama. "Dinner will be ready in fifty minutes. We're having fried fish." There is nothing unusual about either her words or her actions. She's acting completely normal.

Does she know that I know that she knows?

Even in my own head, that question sounds confusing.

"Sounds good," I say instead of asking that. Think things through first, confront Mom after.

Mom doesn't reply. Part of me expected her to, no matter that I shouldn't have. She's acting like normal, after all.

So I do the same. I go up the stairs and draw a hot bath in the blindingly clean bathroom. All the while my mind goes over the signs that I can't understand I've managed to miss until now.

Mom knows. I don't know how she knows, or even what she knows about my power in particular, but she knows about magic. It couldn't be more clear that she does.

The most damning piece of evidence is that she hasn't asked. She hasn't asked about the fact that I haven't gone to the bathroom in days, or about my complete lack of videogame anecdotes. She hasn't even asked after my new necklace. She should've, I never wear jewelry, so she should have asked.

The only time Mom doesn't ask after unusual behavior is when she already knows what's causing it.

Then there's the fact that she's currently on one of her mad cleaning sprees. On its own, that wouldn't be unusual. Mom is a neat freak by nature, and she goes through a phase like this about once a month whenever Dad isn't home. Which is why I hadn't paid attention to her current spree, I'd been expecting one to happen about now.

Except this particular spree started the day I woke up with my power.

Those are the obvious signs, the ones I should've picked up before now. But with the realization that she knows about magic, I look back on the past few days and spot less obvious ones as well.

For one, there was her extremely unusual hostility towards Sun-il. While I still don't know the specific reason for why she was mad at him, her knowing about magic makes her hostility less inexplicable. Or rather, combined with the other signs, it seems logical to conclude that Sun-il's own magic was the cause for it.

Which means that Mom knows about the Chunbumoon Clan.

I finish rinsing myself off and lower myself in the bath, hugging my knees close. Thinking things through only raises more questions.

How does Mom know about the Chunbumoon Clan? And why would she be angry at them? Or rather, why would me knowing about them make her angry?

...No, that isn't the right question. The right question is this.

Why would me knowing about magic make her afraid?

The morning I woke up with my power, I'd been too distracted by the question marks floating above Mom's head to really pay attention to her own reaction. Yet looking back...

Mom had stared at me with shock. Shock... and fear.

It hadn't been that obvious even by her standards, and her expression had returned to its usual inscrutable state before I even finished reading her text. Afterwards, she acted completely normal. A little more abrupt than usual, but nothing noticeable. Nothing that would've made me realize that something was going on.

Yet for one fleeting moment, Mom's fear had been visible.

Mom only becomes afraid when she feels like Dad or I are in danger.

Is it the same as with Sun-il? Is she afraid that people are going to come after me? That... seems like the most logical conclusion. At least, it does with the current information I possess.

Then again, who knows what Mom is still hiding from me.

The knowledge hurts. Makes me feel betrayed in a way I've never experienced before. Not even when I realized that Sun-il didn't want to tell me about his power.

Mom knows about magic. She knows that I have magic, and her reaction makes it clear that she knows why I have it as well.

She hasn't talked to me about it. Hasn't explained.

Why?

Seeing as I can't answer that question without confronting Mom, I decide to think of something else instead. I'll confront her after dinner.

I lean back in the bath, trying to enjoy the pleasant sensation of the hot water.

I fail. My mind is a whirl of activity, unable to move on from the fact that Mom knows.

Does Dad know as well?

...Maybe.

No, that's not true. Knowing Mom and Dad... he has to know as well. Mom and Dad don't keep secrets from each others. Dad always tells her immediately, and while sometimes Mom won't mention things to him for a while, she always tells him eventually. The more important the matter, the sooner she tells him.

There's no way that either of them wouldn't have told the other about something as big as magic being real.

So Dad knows as well. Maybe he doesn't know that I have a power of my own yet, but he knows that magic exists. No matter how impossible it seems that he could've kept this fact secret from, well, anyone.

I wish that he was home. Confronting Mom would be so much easier if he was, for the simple reason that there'd be zero chance of me misinterpreting his answer. Unlike with Mom.

Mom is stoic. She doesn't express that many emotions, and the ones she does express are often hard to interpret. She rarely feels the need to initiate physical contact, and she's so quiet as well. Compared to her, I'm a veritable chatterbox. Mom simply lacks the urge to talk about anything aside from a handful of topics. But Dad...

Dad is loud and exuberant. He's constant laughter and fierce hugs, always offers so much affection that it sometimes becomes overwhelming. He's passion and intensity, he wears his heart on his sleeve and never leaves any doubt about what he's thinking. He brightens his surroundings simply by being present.

I miss Dad.

Letting out a harsh sigh, I focus on something else. Missing Dad isn't the issue right now. Him and Mom knowing about magic is.

So I rack my memories for any sign that either of them might have a power of their own. That seems like the most logical reason for them to know about magic, after all.

By the time Mom calls me down for dinner, I've gone over practically every memory of Mom and Dad I have. I've also failed to spot any sign of an ability. Not like I can with Sun-il. Oh, Mom and Dad are weird, no doubt about that, but there's nothing obviously magical about it. While they do have quirks that straddle the very edge of plausibility, Mom more than Dad, they're no more strange than Teacher Do. And unlike Teacher Do, and me and Sun-il, normal people approach them of their own volition. As far as I can determine, Mom and Dad are completely normal, physically speaking.

Yet while I can't spot any clear signs of magic, the examination of my memories does make one very important fact stand out.

I don't know _anything_ about their past. Mom and Dad never talk about a time before they had me, it's like they simply didn't exist before then. They never mention their own family, or where they came from, where they grew up, how they met, or any of the other thousand of little things that should've been mentioned throughout the years. The closest they ever came was when I was a kid and Dad offhandedly mentioned that his own parents have been dead for a long time, and he only said that because I asked why I didn't have any grandparents. There aren't any pictures in our house from before my birth, either. In fact, there's not even a picture of Mom being pregnant with me.

I've never found their complete lack of history unusual, it's just the way things are. Sure, I realized that it isn't normal compared to other parents, but given that there are so many ways in which Mom and Dad are nothing like other parents, I just chalked it up to their general weirdness. With the knowledge that they know about magic, though...

Mom and I really need to talk.

I go downstairs and sit down for dinner. As is often the case, Mom and I eat in silence.

Unlike usual, the silence isn't pleasant. Not on my part, at least.

How should I confront Mom? What should I say? Should I gradually introduce the subject by asking something innocent about her unknown past and work my way up to magic, or should I just ask bluntly?

...Probably best to ask bluntly. After dinner. Well, after doing the dishes. If those are still dirty, there's no way that Mom will answer my questions. Not when she's on one of her mad cleaning sprees.

I eat on auto-pilot, barely aware of how it tastes. The entire time I stare at Mom and her mystery text.

Really, the questions marks alone should've made me realize that she knows about magic. Somehow.

As always, Mom gives no indication that she even notices my staring.

It's amazing how well she's pretending that everything's normal.

After dinner, I start doing the dishes while Mom goes to the bathroom, before she installs herself in the living room to watch yet another one of her dramas.

Even though most of me is nervously counting down until our confrontation, I still notice that there's a small but definite improvement in my dish washing speed. Dish Washing doesn't level up, but I'm better able to analyze the difference between my speed now and that of a few days ago. Because of my increased wisdom? Probably.

Am I distracting myself from the upcoming confrontation with Mom? Yes, yes I am.

I put the last of the squeaky clean dishes away according to the ridiculously exacting standards Mom has when she's on one of her cleaning sprees, before I take a fortifying breath and straighten my back.

Time to get answers.

I march into the living room and wait until Mom turns to face me. Unsurprisingly, it doesn't take long before she does. She's acting like normal, after all.

Me staring at her in silence while she's watching a drama is my normal way of letting her know that I need to talk about something important.

Mom gives me an inscrutable look for an uncomfortable amount of time, before she pauses her drama. Her way of agreeing to my request.

I take another fortifying breath. "Mom, how do you know about–"

"I don't feel like talking."

I gape, completely thrown off balance. This... this has _never_ happened before. I can't recall a single instance where Mom has interrupted me, and given that I just went over basically every memory of her I have, that really isn't an exaggeration. She always lets me finish, just as she always answers any question I have, despite her own distaste for talking. Sure, when she's on a cleaning spree, she first has to make sure that everything is absolutely spotless before she replies, but she still answers me. She always does.

Except this time she's not only refusing to answer, she actually interrupted me.

I snap my jaw shut and narrow my eyes, crossing my arms and lifting my chin defiantly. I'm not going to let her avoid this.

"I don't care, how do you know about–"

"I said I don't feel like talking," Mom actually snaps, instinctively making me flinch. I can count the number of times she's raised her voice at me on both hands and still have fingers to spare.

Mom didn't "just" snap at me though, oh no. She's _glaring_ at me. It's both terrifying and a silent message that couldn't be more clear.

She isn't going to answer my questions. Isn't going to explain.

The realization causes a wave of pure _anger_ , so strong that it becomes muted and almost manages to drown out the equally strong sense of betrayal.

She isn't going to explain. She knows about magic, she knows why I have it and _she_ _isn't going to explain_.

How can she do this to me? How can she keep me in the dark about something this important? How can she refuse to answer when she knows that I know that she knows?

How dare she.

I meet her terrifying glare with one of my own that's just as fierce, putting every last bit of my anger in it. I so desperately want to snap at her, to keep pushing until she answers the questions haunting me.

I bite back the words, refusing to give into the urge. Mom is the most stubborn person I know. When she makes up her mind, not even Dad can change it. I could scream at her until I'm blue in the face and she wouldn't give even the slightest of peeps.

But while I won't give into the urge to yell at her, that doesn't mean I'll let this go by in silence.

"I can't believe you're doing this."

Infuriatingly, my accusation only makes Mom turn to face the television again, pressing play as though she's done nothing wrong. I hear a strangled sound escape my throat, my muted rage becoming even greater. She doesn't even have the decency to apologize!

Spinning on my heel, I start stomping towards my room. Right now, I need to be anywhere but near her.

Before I can take more than two steps, Mom's voice makes me halt. "Want to watch a drama with me?"

| Quest: Spend Quality Time With Mom!

I turn around and stare at her with utter incredulity. Seriously? She does something like _this_ , and then she actually has the nerve to ask me to spend _quality time_ with her?

I give her a glare that tells her exactly what I think of that, no matter that she isn't looking at me, before I spin around and resume stomping towards my room.

The nerve of her. She's been hiding the fact that magic exists for who knows how long, doesn't explain when I confront her about it, and then she actually dares to act like everything's fine?

She can go jump off a cliff for all I care.

When I enter my room, I take vicious pleasure in slamming my door shut as hard as I can, knowing how much Mom hates it when I do that. Then I curse myself as my door is bisected in two with a thunderous crack, a spiderweb of tiny fractures branching outwards from the doorframe. I forgot about my increased strength.

I pace around, still so furious and unable to believe that Mom would do this.

Why would she do this? This isn't like her, not in the slightest. What could cause her to react like this? Because she's scared? Impossible, whenever Mom gets frightened, she always explains what's causing it, for the simple reason that I can't avoid scaring her if I don't know the reason for it.

So why is this time different?

I don't know, and my ignorance only causes me to become even more angry.

I kick my bed, but given that I need to control my strength while doing so, the action doesn't ease my aggravation in the slightest. I can't believe I'm even thinking this, but I wish that I was still being tortured by the sadist. I wouldn't have brainpower left to spare on anger if I was.

How can Mom do this? What possible reason could justify this?

What reason is worth hurting me like this?

I squeeze my eyes shut as sudden tears rise, fighting to keep them from breaking through.

I fail. Now matter how hard I try, I can't stop myself from crying, tears streaming down without my consent.

Slumping down the floor, I draw up my knees and hug them close, burying my head on them.

It hurts. It hurts so much.

Doesn't Mom trust me? I'm not a bad daughter, I've never given her any reason to mistrust me. Sure, I've sometimes disobeyed her, but not often and never about important matters.

So why won't she tell me?

This isn't like Mom. Even ignoring the fact that she actually interrupted me, she doesn't just refuse to answer. The rare occasions where she doesn't explain something, she always gives a reason for that refusal.

Why didn't she do that now?

I'm grateful that it doesn't take that long for me to stop crying. I don't like crying, don't like the way it leaves me feeling so raw and exhausted afterwards. My Gamer's Body means that I'm not physically exhausted this time, but my brain feels just as raw as ever. Just as tired.

My crying has made most of my anger has fade, but its absence only makes my hurt and betrayal feel even greater. Yet at the same time, I feel like I can think more clearly now. No matter how tired I feel as well.

Mom's action hurt me, in a way I can't remember ever being hurt by her before. Which begs the question. Why is she doing this? I've already tried to answer that, but my anger made it impossible to think things through objectively.

The fact is that Mom would never deliberately hurt me. Not on purpose. Not unless she feels like she has no other choice.

So why does she feel like she had to do this?

...I can't answer that. I simply don't have enough information. Not about Mom and Dad's mystery past, nor about magic in general. Like Sun-il's grandfather said, I'm still an amateur when it comes to the Abyss.

I can start fixing that right now. I just need to grab one of the books I was given and begin reading.

I don't open my inventory to do so. In part because it will take weeks, months even, to finish all the books I've been given, and those are just for the basics. I won't be able to find out the answer as to why Mom won't tell me by reading anytime soon.

Mostly I don't do so because while I don't know the specific cause for Mom's actions, I do know the general one.

She's afraid. Afraid I'll get hurt, afraid I'll be in danger. She's keeping quiet because she wants to keep me safe. I don't understand why this means that she can't tell me _anything_ , but I do understand that's what's driving her.

I know that she regrets hurting me.

Letting out a tired sigh, I lift my head and wipe my cheeks dry. Then I open my log.

I have two active quests. One of them is about homework.

I tap the other one.

| Quest: Spend Quality Time With Mom!  
| The Gamer's Mom wants to spend quality time with you. Watch an entire episode of one of the Gamer's Mom's favorite shows together!  
| Time Limit To Accept:  
| – 1 hour 22 minutes 47 seconds  
| Completion Award:  
| – 20 EXP  
| – Slight lessening of Mom's anxiety  
| Failure Award:  
| – Increasing Mom's anxiety

I let out another tired sigh and drop my head back down my knees. The quest doesn't say anything that I didn't already know, but seeing Mom's mood spelled out so bluntly...

I'm still mad at her. Most of my anger might've faded, but it isn't gone. Yes, I understand that she feels like she has no choice but to do this, but that doesn't change the fact that she hurt me. So much.

That doesn't mean I want her to be hurt as well.

Taking a fortifying breath, I close my log and get up, intending to go downstairs. I'm not sure what will happen when I arrive, or even what I'll do when faced with her once more, but I need talk to her again.

I won't be able to sleep if things remain like this between us.

When I open my broken door, I mentally curse myself once more. I'm now holding half the door in hand, and the other half is leaning pathetically in the frame. Apparently I slammed it so hard that I managed to break most of the hinges.

Placing the broken wood against the wall, I continue going downstairs. When I do, I take note of the fact that the television is off, and faint noises are coming from the kitchen.

Unsurprisingly, I enter the kitchen to find Mom, who still looks absolutely flawless, scrubbing an already spotless counter like it's covered in baked filth instead.

I hesitate, unsure of what to do now that I'm here. What to say.

I shouldn't have worried about that. Mom, even though her back is turned to me, knows that I'm here.

She always does.

"I won't tell you."

The sudden words make me startle. They seem so loud in the silence, no matter that Mom spoke in her usual matter of fact tone.

She doesn't turn to face me, simply keeps wiping down the spotless counter with so much force that I'm pretty sure she's about to scrub off the veneer.

I know that she won't say anything more. Just as I know that she isn't going to apologize for her actions. Mom might regret hurting me, but she also feels like she needs to do this. Which means she'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. Maybe not exactly like this, maybe she'd try to soften the blow a little. But she still wouldn't explain.

Mom doesn't believe in apologizing for things that she wouldn't change even if she could. No matter how much that, right now, I wish she did.

I want to hear that she's sorry for hurting me. Yet even more than that...

"Why?" Why won't she tell me? Why won't she explain?

Why does hurting me seem like the least awful option available to her?

Mom stops her obsessive cleaning and grips the counters so tightly that I can see the blood being cut off from her fingers.

"Jee-han, I _can't_ tell you." Can't tell me the reason her behavior, can't tell me why she won't explain.

She can't tell me why she's hurting me.

I close my eyes, have to escape the sight of Mom gripping the counter like it's the only thing keeping her from drowning. I already knew that she feels like she has no choice, but seeing it with my own eyes...

In her own way, Mom is hurting just as much as I am. Maybe even more.

"...Okay," I whisper, opening my eyes. Okay, I understand that you can't tell me. Okay, I won't ask about this again.

Okay, I forgive you for hurting me.

Mom's shoulders relax minutely, the movement barely visible. She lets go of her death grip on the counter and resumes her methodical scrubbing.

I hesitate. I... don't want to leave yet. I might've accepted that she can't tell me, even forgave her for hurting me, but that doesn't make me feel better. Not really. I still feel raw and gutted. Still feel hurt.

I don't want to leave things like this between us.

"...Want to watch a drama with me?" My hesitant question makes Mom halt her obsessive cleaning, and she finally turns around to face me.

I feel myself relax the instant she does.

Mom is smiling. It's an exceptionally small smile even by her standards, barely a quirk of her lips. But Mom never smiles unless she means it, and her eyes are soft with gratitude. For once, there's no doubt as to what she's thinking.

 _Thank you_. Thank you for letting this rest, thank you for accepting that I can't tell you.

Thank you for forgiving me.

"I'd like that," she says softly. I smile back, also small but just as real. Her reaction is soothing in a way I desperately needed.

Mom isn't going to apologize for hurting me. But seeing her gratitude, her relief and quiet happiness at my reaching out, is just as good a substitute. Healing most of the wound our fight caused.

It isn't completely healed yet. It won't for a while. But it's no longer open and bleeding. No longer so painful.

We're going to be alright.

Mom puts her cleaning supplies away, quickly and meticulously washes her hands, before she makes her way towards me.

We enter the living room and install ourselves on the couch. I snuggle up to her as she turns on the television. I'm not a touchy person by nature, but watching a drama is one of the few occasions where I truly enjoy cuddling.

Mom lays her arm around my shoulder, her grip as delicate and tender as it is strong and sheltering. Just like always.

It takes a few moments to place what drama we're watching, but I soon realize that it's the one with the time traveling actrice.

I let the show wash over me, not bothering to do more than follow along the basic gist of the plot. Not needing to expend any real brainpower is a balm to my tired mind. Now that we've mostly made up, my previous exhaustion is back with a vengeance.

I'm still hyper aware of every minute movement Mom makes. When I glance up at her, I see that she's watching the show with her usual laser focus, but the way she gently squeezes my shoulder lets me know that she's just as aware of me as I am of her. I return my gaze back to the screen.

I'm not a fan of dramas, or a fan of television in general, really. Unlike Mom and Dad, both of whom adore any and all dramas with a passion that I can only link to my own love for videogames. Still, watching an episode once or twice a week is fun. Not because of the shows themselves, but because it's nice to spend time in each other's company like this.

Dad's absence is never more noticeable than when I watch a drama with Mom alone. It just isn't the same without him yelling at the screen whenever a character does something stupid, gasping with shock at all the right times, and bursting into tears at every tender moment.

Even so.

This is nice.

| Quest: Spend Quality Time With Mom!  
| Completed

* * *

 **AN:** So one of my pet peeves is the whole: Adults Are Useless/Ignorant thing. Also the whole: Teen Hero Is Basically Neglected By Their Parents Because The Plot Is Easier To Write That Way. Seriously, there are so many other ways to write parents, ways that _don't_ involve them being practically nonexistent in the teenage hero's life.

Like having them know about magic and then giving them a mysterious reason for why they need to keep it a secret from the hero.

As for Jee-han's dad's personality, well, given that canon gives us absolutely zero information about that, I've decided to go with: very talkative and very expressive. I found it amusing to make him the exact opposite of her mom.

So, what did you think? Did I manage to make you curious about her parents? :p


	13. Chapter 13

After the drama ends, I go upstairs and get ready for bed. Seeing as I don't want to risk waking Mom later on, I set the alarm on my phone to vibrate, ready to go off an hour from now.

I crawl beneath the covers, close my eyes, and almost instantly fall asleep.

I have a _very_ strange dream, in which Mom is secretly an ice cream that breathes fire, and Dad is a buddhist monk trying to keep her safe from the law, because it's illegal for ice cream to breathe fire.

I'm just at the part where Dad vows to renounce salt for the rest of his life in return for the King of Sugarland granting him and Mom sanctuary when my alarm goes off, snapping me wide awake in an instant.

| You have slept in a bed!  
| Your HP and MP have been completely restored.  
| All status effects have been removed.

Oh crap.

"Status," I breathe out, my eyes zeroing in on the bottom of the screen and... damn it.

My emergency pendant is no longer active.

I let out an annoyed sigh. Really, I should've realized that this would happen, I've been waking up to this notification for almost a week now. In fact, I'm blaming the mental strain of being tortured practically non-stop for an entire day for not thinking of this the instant I got the effect.

"Close status." Picking up my still vibrating phone, I turn off the alarm and open my contacts. I need to call Sun-il.

...Except while it's possible that he's still awake, he's most likely asleep by now. His grandfather is even stricter about curfews than Mom is.

I text him that the pendant is no longer active instead. Seeing as he doesn't answer, I'm assuming that I'm right about him being asleep. Admittedly, I could be wrong, it often takes Sun-il a while to answer. Usually it doesn't in the evening, though.

Doesn't really matter if he's awake or not, I suppose. I have other things to do.

Like starting the monumental task of getting through the basics. So.

"Options." I adjust my Color and Brightness until I can see clearly in the dark. Interestingly, I don't need to increase them as much as the previous nights. While I'd already realized that my senses are stronger, this really puts the difference in perspective.

I increase Sound significantly as well. Mom is already asleep of course, but if she gets up tonight for whatever reason, I need to be aware of it. Not just because she hates it when I stay up beyond what she considers to be too late an hour, though that's definitely a factor as well, but because I need to be able to put my books away before she can spot them. After our fight, I really don't want to find out how she'd react to me reading about magic.

I need a few moments to get used to the increased volume, but it soon reaches the point where it mostly becomes background noise. I open my inventory and pull out both boxes. Handily, one of them contains a list of all the book I was given, and they're even listed in the order I'm supposed to read them.

I stuff all the books into my inventory, and after a moment of deliberation, I put the now empty boxes away as well. Best not to leave any evidence behind, after all.

Having finished that, I read the title of the first book I'm supposed to read, put the list away, and pull out The Story Of A Hundred Leaves. It's a thick book with a very fancy cover. The illustration of the tree on it is breathtakingly detailed.

Excited to _finally_ learn more about the Abyss, I quickly start reading. The index lets me know that this is a collection of short stories, and as the title implies, there are one hundred of them. The individual titles lets me know that they're all about mythology.

What the index doesn't tell me is that this is a children's storybook.

At first I assume that I'm mistaken, but it only takes me one page to realize that I'm not. This is definitely a children's storybook. As in, the kind that adults read out loud to small kids. Even ignoring the large and admittedly gorgeous pictures, the language is _far_ too simplistic for it to be anything else.

I don't know whether to be insulted or not. On one hand, this is meant for small kids. On the other... no, there really is no way to make this anything other than insulting.

Just how dumb do they think I am?

Annoyed, I nonetheless continue reading. They must've given me this for a reason, after all.

For their sake, it better be a damn good one.

As I continue reading, my annoyance makes way for fascination instead. The story describes the events leading up to Dangun's birth, a legend that literally everyone knows. Yet this is a version I've never encountered before.

In this version, Hwanung isn't approached by a Tiger and a Bear wanting to become human. Instead, the Tiger and Bear are from a clan of animal shapeshifters, who are at war with an invading clan of fire manipulators. And the shapeshifters are losing. Badly. The reason the Tiger and Bear go to Hwanung is to beg for his aid.

Hwanung, just like in the version I know, tells them that if they remain in a dark cave for one hundred days with nothing but a handful of mugwort and twenty cloves of garlic each to stave off their hunger, he will grant them their wish.

The Tiger soon loses patience and returns to help fight off the invaders, unable to sit by while his loved ones are in danger. The Bear, on the other hand, stays inside the cave for the entire hundred days, constantly resisting the urge to follow the Tiger's example. When she finally walks out into the sunlight on the one hundred and first, Hwanung is waiting for her. As promised, he aids her clan and saves them from annihilation. And, as an added bonus, he's so impressed by her self-discipline that he asks her to become his wife. Apparently he didn't expect her to be able to complete the task.

The Bear agrees, and their union results in the birth of their demigod son, Dangun.

After finishing the story, I feel like I better understand why I was given this book. These aren't myths, aren't an exaggeration of the truth. Or rather, they're no more exaggerated than any other ancient history. Emphasis on history.

This really happened. A clan of animal shapeshifters really was at war with another clan of fire manipulators, and they really did beg an actual god for aid. And that god really did aid them. In person.

Honestly, this is kind of mind blowing. Sun-il already said that most legends are based on real magical events, but it's one thing to be told that, another thing entirely to have a concrete example of what that means. To understand that these legends actually happened in all their supernatural glory.

And Sun-il is a direct descendant of that supernatural glory.

I start reading the next story with anticipation, curious as to what differences I'll encounter compared to the version I know.

I soon lose track of time. Normally I'm not a fan of reading, but knowing that these stories are real makes them incredibly interesting. They're also quick and easy to read, courtesy of them being meant for small children.

I'm almost halfway through the book when my phone goes off. It's on silent, but with my current settings, the screen lighting up is impossible to miss. It's literally blinding.

I glance at the clock on my nightstand before picking up.

It's four thirty in the morning.

Seriously? Sun-il is already awake? Did he just wake up for some reason and decide to check his phone before going back to sleep, or is this his usual time for getting up? I really hope not, that would just be cruel. To get up at four thirty every _Sunday?_ Even though I practically don't need to sleep anymore myself, the idea alone is enough to horrify me.

...Unless he also doesn't need as much sleep because of his magic?

I answer the call. "Do–"

"What–" I yank my phone away with a wince. I forgot about my increased Sound. Well no, I didn't, but I hadn't thought of how it would influence his voice. "–do you mean, it's no longer active?" he demands, still sounding like he's talking through a megaphone even with the added distance.

"Not so loud," I breathe out after returning my phone to my ear, remembering that I need to keep quiet so as to not wake up Mom. Fortunately, I don't hear her get up.

"Loud?" Sun-il returns incredulously and at a thankfully _much_ softer volume. "How– never mind, not important. Answer the question, Jee-han."

"Status effects get removed when I sleep in a bed," I explain.

Sun-il lets out a sigh that's half tired, half exasperated, and wholly disgusted. I can actually hear him rub his forehead. "Hang on, I'm coming over."

"You do realize that there aren't any busses running at this hour, right?" I point out dryly.

"You do realize that I can run faster than a bus, right?" he mocks back.

So that's why he always waves me off when I offer to accompany him to his stop. Well no, I haven't offered that in ages, but I haven't precisely because I know that he'll just wave me off.

"You actually run everywhere you need to go, don't you?" I ask, fascinated by this realization. Really, his magic explains so many of his quirks. Not to mention that it's incredibly interesting to realize just how much his power influences his daily life.

The sheer scale of how much he managed to keep hidden from me is unbelievable.

"Fastest way to travel, really," he answers in a distracted voice. Judging from the noises I'm hearing, he's either getting out of bed or he's grabbing clothes to change into. "I'll be there in ten." With that, he hangs up.

I put down my phone and resume reading the story of Bari's journey to Mount Dongae.

I've finished both that story and then next when I hear a loud tapping on my window, making me turn towards it.

Sun-il, his hair an even wilder mess than usual and his expression tight in a way I don't like seeing, is holding himself up with one hand placed down the windowsill. While I know that he's holding up his entire weight with that hand, he looks like there's solid ground beneath his feet instead, that's how effortless he makes it seem.

"Options," I open while getting up, and lower my Sound a little. This way I won't have to worry about Sun-il being too loud while still being able to watch out for Mom. I won't be able to hear her get up anymore, but I'll hear it if she opens her bedroom door.

I close my options and open the window.

Sun-il, without a hint of warning, swings himself inside and grabs the pendant I'm still wearing. I almost slap his hand away on instinct, but the way his expression remains so unpleasantly tight lets me catch the reflex just in time.

After a brief moment, he lets go with a grimace. "I can't believe you've actually destroyed the enchantment," he declares in a relatively soft voice full of real disgust.

"And good morning to you too," I counter, bemused by him being the rude one for once.

Sun-il replies with a look that means he's _really_ not in the mood for our usual banter, making my amusement fade.

"You can't just activate it again?" That's what I'd assumed would happen, really. Either now or when I see his grandfather later on.

"Note that I used the word destroy," he retorts in a genuinely insulting way. I give him an unimpressed look. While I understand that he's in a bad mood, that doesn't give him the right to treat me like I'm an idiot.

Sun-il lets out a tired sigh and rubs his forehead. "You didn't just disconnect from it, you've somehow unraveled the enchantment itself. It's just plain metal now," he apologizes by offering a more detailed explanation.

"You can't enchant it again?" I asks calmly. While he's aware of his own mood, that doesn't miraculously makes it better. The least I can do is not aggravate him further.

"No, that's not how it works," Sun-il replies in an equally calm way, careful not to take his frustration out on me. "The enchantment is woven into the metal during the crafting of the necklace. We can't cast it after it's already finished, it simply doesn't stick."

Wait. "You mean this is handcrafted?" I thought they'd just bought this thing and put a spell on it. After all, why make it look so cheap if it's handcrafted?

"It is. Which is why we can't just give you a new one every day, it takes time to craft them, and we don't have that large a reserve," he explains. I open my mouth to ask why not, because this seems like the kind of item you'd want to have a huge stock of. "The enchantment fades after about three weeks if it isn't anchored to someone," he answers the question before I need to ask.

"So what do we do instead?" I change my question to, because it's clear that we need to find an alternative. Or rather, it's clear that Sun-il needs an alternative for his peace of mind.

"We teach you how to signal for help on your own," he answers promptly. Guess I know what training will be focusing on today.

"How do we do that?" I'm really curious. If abilities are so wildly different from one another, how is there a general way to ask for help? Or does the manner change according to each power?

"We need to run some tests before I can answer that," Sun-il replies. I suppose that means there are indeed different ways of signaling for help.

Sun-il lets out another sigh and tilts back his head, forcefully putting the subject out of his mind for now. Which means that he's going to change the topic.

I briefly debate on whether to allow it or not. On one hand, I'm still curious. On the other, this entire thing has put Sun-il in an awful mood and he's trying to pull himself out of it.

Guess I'll save my questions for later.

As expected, when Sun-il meets my gaze again, he asks something completely unrelated to the previous subject. "Why is your door broken?"

"Mom and I had a fight," I explain.

Sun-il replies with a pointed look. _See, I know you think that explains things, but it really doesn't_.

"I was mad at her, so I slammed my door as hard as I could to annoy her, forgetting about my increased strength," I elaborate.

Sun-il blinks with surprise, before he closes his eyes and shakes his head. "Right," he says to himself, having realized something and not bothering to share that realization with me.

I feel my eyes narrow and cross my arms, my hackles rising. "What?" I demand.

The asshole actually waves my question away. "Nothing, just thought of something."

"And what the hell did you think of?" I snap, barely remembering to keep my voice down. Seriously, he's keeping secrets from me _again?_

My demand makes Sun-il give me a startled and confused look. "I just realized that we need to add control exercises to your training already," he answers in a tone that says he really doesn't understand why I'm reacting like this.

It's enough to make me deflate. He's right, I'm overreacting. A lot.

I suppose I'm more affected by my fight with Mom than I thought I was.

"Sorry," I apologize for snapping at him. He didn't deserve that. This time.

Unsurprisingly, my reply makes him frown. "What's wrong?"

I hesitate. I... don't want to tell him what the fight was about. Not yet. Hypocritical, I know, but if I talk about it now, I'll just get mad at Mom again. Just feel hurt again.

I'm really not in the mood for that.

"I had a fight with Mom," I repeat, summing up the essence of what's bothering me. "I don't want to talk about it," I add as he prepares to ask for more details.

For a moment, Sun-il wavers on whether to drop the topic or not. Highly unusual, normally he immediately accepts it when I don't want to talk about something. Though given how badly he's been dealing with the whole I-have-magic thing, I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised by this.

I realize that I've taken on an aggressively defensive posture when his own softens. "Okay," he agrees to drop this, making me relax.

Silence falls. It's a nice silence.

Naturally, Sun-il breaks it. "I can't believe you destroyed it by _sleeping_."

"I assume that's more than just unusual?" I retort in a tone that means _it would be nice if you didn't constantly forget that I don't yet know what is and isn't normal for magic_.

"No more unusual than everything else about your ability," he returns with a sunny smile, silently adding _I didn't think it possible, but your ability is even weirder than you are_.

"I can't help it that my power is so amazing," I brag idly, relaxing even further now that we've fallen into our usual banter.

"I was wondering how long you'd be able to keep yourself from bragging."

"About as long as you're able to keep yourself from insulting me."

"Insulting you? Me?" The mock innocence he shows just makes the denial even more absurd. "Whatever did I do to give you that impression?"

"Want me to list the events alphabetically or chronologically?"

"Your habit of misjudging situations truly worries me," he says in a ridiculously earnest way. I chuckle, and it's enough to make him lose the battle against his own grin.

Speaking of judging things.

"Hey, can you hide me? I want to Observe the pendant." Another thing I really should've done yesterday. My mental fatigue had been affecting me a lot more than I thought it had.

"I already am," Sun-il informs me. In that case.

I lift the pendant and say "Observe."

| Chunbumoon's Emergency Pendant (inactive)  
| A metal necklace previously enchanted to signal the Chunbumoon Clan for help. The enchantment has been permanently removed.

It really is a shame that I didn't Observe it yesterday. I'm curious about what the description would've said when it was still active.

"What does it say?" Sun-il asks. I obligingly read out the description. He shakes his head with wry bemusement. "So, nothing beyond the obvious."

"I like that it states the obvious," I say truthfully. It's nice that I don't have to worry about missing something that might be obvious to experienced users, but which aren't obvious to a noob like me.

Sun-il grins, warm and fond. _Of course you do_.

"Seeing as it's no longer active, do I have to keep wearing it?" I ask, because if not, I'm taking this thing off.

"No, you don't." Awesome. "In fact, give it to me."

"What are you going to with it?" I ask, taking it off and handing it over.

"Melt it down and make another," he replies while putting it in his pocket.

"How frugal of you," I quip in a tone that means _and here I thought you were going to throw it away like the rich kid you are_.

"Waste not, want not," he mocks in a tone that means _it's not healthy to let yourself be blinded by prejudice_. "Any other skill you want to use?" he asks before I can offer a retort. "If not, I need to go."

Already? That's sudden even for him.

"I have a lot to do before you come over," he explains. "You becoming a natural has messed up my entire schedule. I haven't even had _breakfast_ yet," he declares like it's the greatest travesty in the world.

"Poor you," I deliver deadpan.

"I _know_ ," he returns like I delivered it sincerely instead. "Delaying breakfast, of all meals. Honestly, the things I do for you."

"I'm grateful for everything you do," I say with a smile, meaning every word. I don't know what I would've done without his help.

My open gratitude makes Sun-il's eyes widen with surprise, before he averts his gaze with a smile that's both startled and full of bashful pleasure.

It's cute how sincere gratitude sometimes makes him react like this. Not in the least because it leaves him at a loss for words, a rare event indeed.

Sun-il awkwardly clears his throat and fidgets just the slightest bit with his hands, embarrassed by his own reaction. "You should be," he tries and fails to banter like usual.

I don't reply, just watch his mental flailing with a fond smile.

"Right, I'll be going now," he says a touch too quickly. I chuckle, but there actually is one more issue I want to address before he goes.

"Wait, I have another question," My words make Sun-il come out of his mental flailing and he gives me an attentive look. I give a flat one in return. "Why did you give me a children's storybook to read?"

I might no longer be annoyed by it, but I still want to know the reason. And if that reason is in any way related to a perceived lack of my intelligence, I will Power Strike the asshole.

My question surprises Sun-il in a way that lets me know he had no idea that I was given a children's storybook. Good to know he isn't involved in the possibility of me being thought of as an idiot.

"What book?" he asks while looking towards my bed and the open book laying on top of it. Seeing as his eyes light up with recognition before he even finishes his demand, I don't answer the now redundant question.

I would've raised a brow to prompt him to answer, except Sun-il's entire countenance softens before I can do so. He walks towards the bed and gently touches the edge of the illustrated page.

After a brief hesitation, I move to stand besides him, wondering why this book inspired his oddly tender reaction.

"Father used to read these to us," he says softly even with my current setting, eyes remaining locked onto the book.

Oh.

I keep quiet. The best thing I can do in moments like these is to follow his lead.

Sun-il rarely mentions his father ever since he passed away, and it's even more rare for him to want to keep talking about him. Even all these years later, the loss is still too great for that. I understand that intellectually, even if I don't emotionally.

I don't even want to imagine ever losing Dad. Sure, he travels a lot, but he'll return home eventually. He always does.

After another moment of silence, Sun-il lifts his hand from the book and meets my gaze, the old grief in his own fading away as he does. "I didn't expect Rain to give you this."

That much is more than clear.

"Why did he?" I return to my original question, because it's equally clear that this isn't one of the rare times where Sun-il wants to keep talking about his father.

"One of the best ways to get to know another culture is by learning what values they find most important to pass on to their children," Sun-il answers matter of factly.

Well what do you know. That actually is a good reason to make me read a children's storybook. It's also a reason that doesn't have anything to do with a perceived lack of my intelligence.

"What other books did he give you?" Sun-il asks. I obligingly open my inventory and give him the list. As he reads it, his brows rise with growing incredulity. After finishing it, he shakes his head with bemused affection. "I suppose that's one way to define the basics."

I blink with surprise, his reaction making me realize that Rain, not his grandfather, put this list together. As in, from scratch. And he did that for me? How unexpected. We're nothing more than acquaintances, really.

I realize immediately after that Rain didn't do it for me. He did it for Sun-il. Rain, in his own unique way, was trying to alleviate some of his brother's worry about me.

By giving me what I'm now pretty sure is the equivalent of a college level course about the Abyss.

"Does that mean I don't have to read everything on it?" That would make things so much easier.

"No, you don't," Sun-il replies, making me smile with pleasure. "I mean, it would be great if you could, but it isn't necessary."

My smile drops. "You don't think I can finish them all," I state in a flat voice, deeply unimpressed by his offhand belief that I'm incapable of reading them all. Sure, shortening the list would make things easier, but that doesn't mean I couldn't finish the whole thing if I put my mind to it.

"You aren't exactly the most studious of people," the asshole mocks with a sunny smile. While I won't deny that his words are true, he's ignoring two very important facts. One, these books are about magic, meaning they're infinitely more interesting than the subjects taught at school. Two, just because I'm not a fan of reading doesn't meant that I can't finish them all. Because I can.

I tell him all of this with a glare.

Sun-il's brows shoot up with surprise, caught off guard by my reaction. Or rather, by the intensity of it. Which makes me realize that it's possible that I'm overreacting. A little.

That thought flies out of my mind when Sun-il starts to smile in a way that means he's about to be an even bigger asshole than usual. "You know, there's no shame in admitting that there are some things you simply aren't capable of doing."

The underlying sincerity accompanying his passive-aggressive dare only makes the entire thing even more aggravating.

"Finishing this list is not one of those things," I snap while snatching the paper out of his hand.

The asshole actually has the nerve to give a patronizing smile. _Of course it isn't_.

My glare grows dirtier. "I'll damn well prove it."

| Quest: Prove Your Best Friend Wrong!

Do I care that it sounds petty when put like that? No, no I do not.

Sun-il grins, pleased and greatly amused.

...Because I just agreed to read through an entire college level course of the Abyss when I didn't actually need to do so. Even ignoring the fact that it's turned into a quest, my pride won't allow me to back out now. Damn it.

I scowl, annoyed at how easily he played me.

Sun-il gives a sunny smile. _Like taking candy from a baby_.

I punch the asshole's arm. Naturally, it makes him chuckle.

"I really do have to go now," he says, partly because it's the truth, partly because he at least has the decency not to rub his win in further. For now.

I let out a sigh and push my annoyance away. I'll save it for when he inevitably brings this up again. "Alright. See you soon."

"Later, Jee-han. Don't be late," he says goodbye as well. Except then he hesitates. Of course he does.

I roll my eyes at his overprotectiveness, but decide to humour him nonetheless. "I'll text you every hour to let you know I'm still fine."

Extreme? Definitely. However, seeing as I'll be learning how to signal for help later on today, it's not like it'll be for long.

Really though, while I get that he's worried and that he hasn't had enough time yet to adjust to me having magic of my own, he's going to become _incredibly_ aggravating and suffocating if he keeps this up. I'll give him one week to get over the worst of it, but after that, I'm going to start putting my foot down.

...I'll give him two weeks. This situation is serious enough to warrant it, as evidenced by the way my words make him relax with a rush of relief.

"Thanks," he says with a smile that's both warm and self-deprecating. He's aware of how overprotective he's being, and he's grateful that I'm humoring him while he works through it.

I gently punch his arm. "Go. Have a monster breakfast," I say with a smile.

"If you insist," he quips back. "See you soon. Don't forget to text."

I roll my eyes, exasperated and involuntarily amused. "Get lost, you overprotective asshole."

"That hurts, Jee-han, it really does," he says with such a wounded look.

Before I can point out that he still hasn't left yet despite his claim of really needing to go, Sun-il gets a mischievous smile. Without further warning, he leaps backwards and effortlessly flies out the open window.

I run after him and look outside just in time to see him land on his feet with the ease of a cat. He gives a lazy salute while fading from view.

Huh. He doesn't just travel by running, he travels by running inside an illusion barrier. So they're portable? Makes sense. If the creator is the anchor, than Sun-il must be pulling it along as he moves. Running inside an illusion barrier also means that people can't see him blur by at impossible speeds, meaning there's no chance of triggering the Interference Law.

I close my window and put the list away, increase my Sound a little, sit down my bend, and set a silent alarm to remind of when I need to text Sun-il. Then I open my log.

| Quest: Prove Your Best Friend Wrong!  
| The Gamer's Best Friend believes that you're incapable of completing your assigned reading. Prove him wrong by finishing every book on the list!  
| Completion Award:  
| – 50 EXP  
| – Impressing your Best Friend  
| – A great sense of satisfaction  
| Failure Award:  
| – A great sense of failure

I close my log and determinedly resume reading. Sun-il might've goaded me into it, but now that I've decided to prove to him that I can do this, I'm damn well going to pull it off.

Just he wait, I'll finish all these at a speed that'll make him choke.

* * *

 **AN:** For those wondering why Sun-il's father is dead, well. We literally have no other mention of him beyond: he won a taekwondo championship, so I decided to make him deceased as an explanation for why we never see him in canon.

Also, if anyone reading this has actual knowledge of Korean legends/mythology, I'm all ears. I'm just googling things, so if I make a glaring error, be sure to point it out.

As always, hope you enjoyed this!


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